Using the Participatory Culture-Specific Intervention Model to inform cultural adaptations

School personnel have historically exhibited universal practices, where assumptions of "one-size-fits-all" prevail. The limitations of this approach are evident when school personnel attempt to apply universal practices to students from underrepresented and historically marginalized populations. In this article, we describe the Participatory Culture-Specific Intervention Model (PCSIM; Nastasi & Hitchcock, 2016; Nastasi et al., 2004), a 10-phase process for developing culturally responsive practices. PCSIM uses an interdisciplinary approach to program development for social and cultural change, with an emphasis on participation and the intersection of culture and context. This article presents four examples of mental health prevention and intervention projects that used PCSIM in schools and communities to address issues of equity for this group, including urban African American students, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and other sexual and gender identities youth, and individuals with developmental disabilities. This article concludes with lessons learned and suggestions for practitioners and researchers when applying PCSIM to address issues of equity for these groups through collaborative program development, implementation, and evaluation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).