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ABSTRACT: Purpose
The need for "culturally appropriate" support for racial and ethnic minority (REM) students has prompted several British universities to embrace targeted interventions such as "ethnic matching" to encourage professional help-seeking on campus (i.e., pairing REM students with ethnically similar practitioners). There remains, however, little clarity on what culturally appropriate support entails. This study explores how REM students define culturally appropriate support and the approaches they view to be effective in promoting help-seeking.Methods
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 48 REM students in two British universities. Data analysis was guided by principles of constructivist grounded theory and reflexive thematic analysis.Results
REM students discuss three ways universities can provide culturally appropriate support; via ethnic matching; a broader cultural appropriateness; or a person-specific service. For these students, a service narrowly focusing on race/ethnicity has the potential to remove rather than enhance accountability and engagement within mental health service provision, and not adequately valorize the experience of the student as both individual and racialized.Conclusion
A protocol-driven and instrumental understanding of "culturally appropriate" support may serve to reduce REM student willingness to seek professional help. Universities, therefore, should commit to a student-centred process, combining racial diversification and cultural recognition with a reflexive person-specific approach.
SUBMITTER: Olaniyan FV
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9448376 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Olaniyan Funmi-Victoria FV Hayes Graeme G
International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being 20221201 1
<h4>Purpose</h4>The need for "culturally appropriate" support for racial and ethnic minority (REM) students has prompted several British universities to embrace targeted interventions such as "ethnic matching" to encourage professional help-seeking on campus (i.e., pairing REM students with ethnically similar practitioners). There remains, however, little clarity on what culturally appropriate support entails. This study explores how REM students define culturally appropriate support and the app ...[more]