| This dissertation focuses on the implementation and evaluation of a pilot ethnocultural training program for first year school psychology students who plan to work in special education with families of children with developmental disabilities. The growing numbers of both developmentally disabled and diverse ethnic populations has created an urgent need for school professionals to receive training to increase their awareness, knowledge and sensitivity skills around the intersection of multicultural issues and disability. A training curriculum was developed and piloted with 6 first year school psychology doctoral students from a major North Eastern university. The training took place over 3, 2 hour sessions over the 1997 Fall semester. Experiential exercises, videotaped family interviews, group discussion and specific professional literature were utilized to facilitate the training. Of the 6 students who participated, 3 completed the entire training series. The Multicultural Survey adapted from D'Andrea et al. (1991) was administered to participants pre and post training to assess for levels of awareness, knowledge and skills. Participants also completed evaluations of each training session, as well as follow up questionnaires 1 month after completing the training series and approximately 1 month after they began working in their first school setting practica. Data analysis indicated that as a model, the highly focused, short term ethnocultural training program increased awareness, knowledge and sensitivity skills in several discrete areas. Follow up measures provide evidence that a training of this nature may have a lasting impact on participants' perceived levels of their own multicultural awareness as they perform in applied settings. Implications for professional psychology are discussed. |
