Intercultural Competence as a Key Qualification in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy

Abstract: Objective: This study aimed to assess how relevant mental health professionals consider intercultural competence to be for their work, to evaluate the existing self-rated knowledge in this area, to conduct a needs analysis for additional training opportunities, and to identify influencing variables. Method: We sent a link to an online survey via the mailing list of the German Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy. We supplemented a standardized tool for assessing intercultural competence with aspects relevant to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy. Results: Of the N = 142 participants, over 95 % considered cultural aspects to be relevant in their work. Only 20 % had ever attended intercultural training, and over 90 % would like to receive further training. Variables such as age, sex, and experience abroad correlated with some of the item responses. Conclusions: The findings clearly show a need and desire for training in this field. We suggest including intercultural competence in curricula and training offers for all mental health professionals to improve the quality of mental healthcare in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy.