Document Type (Journals)
Original Research
Abstract
This study examined undergraduate pre-occupational therapy student intercultural competence (ICC) development through a local or global service-learning experience. Using a mixed-method approach, responses to the Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competence among Healthcare Professions-Student Version (IAPCC-SV) were compared as well as a content analysis of student essays before and after the service-learning experience to determine ICC growth. Both groups demonstrated ICC growth, but global participants continued their development past the experience. Student essays revealed themes of dissonance, reflection, transformation, and advocacy, with local students focusing on clients and global students adopting broader advocacy goals. Immersive experiences in occupational therapy programs can enhance therapists’ roles, improving individual, group, and community health, potentially worldwide.
Biography
Leah S. Dunn, EdD, OTR/L is an associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH. She serves as a Level I fieldwork educator during international experiences. Her research interests include student learning characteristics of intercultural competence, leadership, and advocacy.
Diane Ceo-DiFrancesco, PhD is Professor and Chair of the Department of Classics and Modern Languages at Xavier University. She frequently directs local and global immersion programs and delivers webinars and training workshops internationally on virtual exchange pedagogies. Her research interests include global citizenship, intercultural competence, virtual exchange and intercultural communication.
Declaration of Interest
The authors report no declarations of interest.
Recommended Citation
Dunn, L. S., & Ceo-DiFrancesco, D. (2026). Comparing Pre-Occupational Therapy Student Intercultural Competence through Local and Global Service Learning. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 10 (1). Retrieved from https://encompass.eku.edu/jote/vol10/iss1/3
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