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Cultural competence in professional kinesiology roles

This is an excerpt from Psychological Dynamics of Physical Activity-5th Edition by Diane L Gill,Erin J Reifsteck,DeAnne Davis Brooks,DeAnne Davis Brooks.

CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Cultural competence, which refers to the ability to work effectively with ­people who are of a dif­fer­ent culture, takes cultural diversity directly into professional practice. Culturally competent professionals act to empower participants, challenge restrictions, and advocate for social justice. Cultural competence applies not only to direct interactions with students and clients as teachers, trainers, or ­consultants, but also in our roles as researchers and scholars.

Cultural Sport and Exercise Psy­chol­ogy

A few dedicated scholars have been developing cultural sport and exercise psy­chol­ogy in line with our guiding framework. For example, Butryn (2002) argued that confronting the “invisible knapsack of white privilege” is essential for effective sport psy­chol­ogy consulting.

Fisher et al. (2003) and Ryba and Wright (2005) advocated a cultural studies perspective for sport psy­chol­ogy. Schinke and Hanrahan’s (2009) edited text, Cultural Sport Psy­chol­ogy, brought together much of the initial scholarship, and the edited volume, The Cultural Turn in Sport Psy­chol­ogy, by Ryba et al. (2010) moved to a more critical cultural studies perspective. It is too early to know if sport and exercise psy­chol­ogy has truly made a “cultural turn,” but culturally relevant research and practice is gaining in popularity (Schinke et al., 2019).

Two of our journals devoted special issues to cultural sport psy­chol­ogy. The International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psy­chol­ogy special issue (Ryba & Schinke, 2009) highlighted the dominance of the Western worldview in our research and practice and emphasized cultural praxis, referring to an active ­process of blending theory, lived culture, and social action in professional settings. Practical examples of cultural praxis are programs and campaigns aimed at reducing racism, such as the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Say No to Racism campaign. The Journal of Clinical Sport Psy­chol­ogy special issue (Schinke & Moore, 2011) called for understanding, re­spect, and integration of culture in professional practice.

In line with cultural sport psy­chol­ogy, scholars have applied feminist, Indigenous, and intersectional approaches to SEP research and professional practice. ­These approaches center members of marginalized groups while situating their individual experiences within cultural systems of oppression. In practice, ­these approaches are critical for understanding clients holistically and seeking strengths-­based approaches to working with marginalized populations. Cultural sport and exercise psy­chol­ogy calls for awareness of (and a critical look at) our own cultural identity; continued reflection to gain a deeper understanding of culture within sport psy­chol­ogy; and, in line with the third theme, action for social justice. That brings us to the topic of cultural competence.

Cultural Competence for Professionals

Cultural competence is a professional competency required in psy­chol­ogy and many health professions. Cultural competence is essential for anyone working with ­others and certainly in all professional kinesiology roles. It includes both understanding and action and is needed at both the individual and ­organizational levels. In other words, professionals not only develop their own cultural competence but also work to ensure that their educational programs, professional practices, and ­organizations are culturally diverse and inclusive.

Psy­chol­ogy has developed resources and actively promotes cultural competence. Most resources adopt a model developed by Stanley Sue (2006), one of the leading scholars in multicultural psy­chol­ogy. Cultural competence has three key components: awareness of one’s own cultural values and biases, understanding of other worldviews, and development of culturally appropriate skills. Culturally competent professionals work to be conscious and mindful of their personal reactions, biases, and prejudices (i.e., awareness); recognize their client’s worldview or cultural perspective and background (i.e., understand); and develop abilities that allow them to work effectively with ­people who are dif­fer­ent from them (i.e., skills). Cultural competence is not static and might best be thought of as existing on a continuum; we continually strive for cultural competence.

William Parham (2005), a leader in APA multicultural programming as well as an active member of the sport and exercise psy­chol­ogy community, offered ­these useful guiding premises:

• Context is every­thing. First, context is key when one is providing ­services to diverse individuals (and all kinesiology professionals work with diverse individuals); history, economics, ­family, and social context are all relevant.
• Culture, race, and ethnicity as separate indices do ­little to inform us. Parham reminds us that cultural groups are not homogenous; ­every individual has a unique mix of intersecting cultural identities.
• Use paradigms reflecting differing worldviews. The typical U.S. worldview emphasizes ­independence, competitiveness, and individual striving. Emphasis on connectedness rather than separation, deference to higher power, mind–­body interrelatedness rather than control, and a sense of “spirit-­driven energy” may be more prominent in another’s worldview.

Parham (2011) offered further helpful guidance based on the following guiding premises:

• The explanatory power of the scientific method relative to culture, race, and ethnicity is ­limited.
• Culture, race and ethnicity, gender, age, and other ele­ments of personal identification are operative in ­every social and research-­based interpersonal interaction.
• The quality of the relationship represents a foundational ingredient in interpersonal interactions.
• Sport psy­chol­ogy has not moved along in advancing a cultural agenda.
• Context is very impor­tant.
• Culture, race, and ethnicity as separate indices do ­little to inform us about within-­ and across-­group variability.

Overall, Parham (2011) calls for “more of thee [you] and less of me” in research and practice. In other words, professionals are listening as much as (or more than) talking while engaging in culturally informed interactions. To understand and communicate effectively you must ask questions and listen more than you offer advice and directions.

More Excerpts From Psychological Dynamics of Physical Activity-5th Edition

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