NCT03038347

Training of Cross-cultural Competencies in Psychotherapists

Evaluation of an Internet-based Training Program to Improve Cross-cultural Competencies in Psychotherapists

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 173 (actual)
• Sponsor: Philipps University Marburg · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a web-based training program with text-based information as well as practical exercises can improve cross-cultural competencies in therapists.

Detailed description

As the number of patients from diverse cultures increases in psychotherapeutic care, cross-cultural competencies of therapists become increasingly important. In particular, mental health care of patients with immigration background needs to be improved as studies show that these patients drop out of treatment more often and benefit less from therapy. In addition, patients with immigration background and refugees show higher prevalences in mental illnesses. Nevertheless, evaluated training programs to improve cross-cultural competencies in psychotherapists are lacking. In particular, web-based training programs, which allow therapists to work time-flexible and at their own pace on a training, are, to date, missing completely. For the current study, a web-based training program to improve therapists' cross-cultural competencies was developed. It is based on existing conceptions of cross-cultural competencies. The developed program consists of six modules with the following contents: definitions and conceptions of culture, the role of cross-cultural competencies in psychotherapy, the influence of prejudices and discrimination as well as the role of migration and acculturation, and culturally sensitive diagnostics. The modules contain PDF-files with text-based information, video files, case studies with associated questions as well as practical exercises. The main focus of the training is the participants' self-reflection concerning their conceptions of (their own) culture and their beliefs about culturally diverse patients. The training group will be compared to two other groups, i.e. an education only and a waitlist control group. Whereas the waitlist control group will not receive any training materials, the education only group will receive a slimmed down version of the training consisting only of text-based information files.

Conditions

• Healthy Volunteers

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Training	Six modules containing PDF-files with text-based information, video files, case studies with associated questions and practical exercises. Participants can download the modules and associated materials from an online platform they need to register for. They receive access to modules and associated exercises once a week. After six weeks the training is completed.
BEHAVIORAL	Education only	Six modules containing only PDF-files with text-based information. Participants can download the modules and associated materials from an online platform they need to register for. They receive access to modules once a week. After six weeks the education is completed.

Timeline

• Start date: 2020-09-15
• Primary completion: 2021-12-31
• Completion: 2022-08-31
• First posted: 2017-01-31
• Last updated: 2022-11-08

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Germany