Study Abroad as a Cultural Competence Development Tool: Case Study Honduras
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to acquire an in-depth understanding of a study abroad experience from a sample of eight participants using a case study approach. The theoretical framework was based on the Multidimensional Model of Cultural Competence (Sue and Sue 2003) and Relational Counseling Theory (RCT; Comstock et al. 2008). Program documentation, journal entries, and a follow-up survey were analyzed. Findings indicated that the study abroad program enhanced the cultural competence development of the participants. The importance of exposure and growth-fostering relationships, influences that the study abroad experiences may have on social justice and advocacy, and potential use of RCT in international counseling were highlighted.
Keywords
Study abroad Cultural competence Qualitative case study International counseling Multiculturalism HondurasNotes
Compliance with Ethical Standards
Conflict of Interest
The authors declared that they have no conflict of interest.
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