Promoting Culturally Effective Care for Hispanic Families in Occupational Therapy: A Curriculum Pilot Study

Occupational therapy students need preparation to provide culturally effective pediatric care that addresses the needs of Hispanic families.

To implement and evaluate a curriculum module aimed at improving occupational therapy students' cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, and cultural skills for working with Hispanic families.

Mixed-methods, pre-post interventional study.

An entry-level occupational therapy master's program.

Convenience sample of 30 occupational therapy master's students.

A 2-hr cognitive behavioral-based intervention module on culturally effective care for Hispanic families.

Cultural Competence Self-Assessment Checklist-Revised (CCSACR) administered pre- and postintervention as well as a qualitative questionnaire on self-perceived changes.

Significant improvements were found in cultural awareness (p = .013) and cultural skills (p = .038) on the CCSACR. Qualitative data indicated self-perceived improvements in awareness, knowledge, and preparedness for culturally effective practice.

A brief educational module can significantly improve occupational therapy students' cultural awareness and skills for working with Hispanic families. Curriculum-based cultural training can help prepare students to provide more equitable care. Plain-Language Summary: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a targeted educational module for improving culturally effective care for occupational therapy students working with Hispanic families. The study found significant improvements in students' cultural awareness and cultural skills. Curriculum-based cultural training can help prepare students to provide more equitable and culturally effective care. Positionality Statement: The authors' perspectives are rooted in their social positions, which shape their approach to this research. They both identify as female; one identifies as Black, and one identifies as Hispanic. The authors' experiences have instilled a deep understanding of the systemic barriers and historical injustices that have shaped health care access and outcomes for marginalized communities.