EL MODELO AMERICANO DE COMPETENCIA CULTURAL PSICOTERAPÉUTICA Y SU APLICABILIDAD EN NUESTRO MEDIO

The increasing presence of culturally different clients in Spanish mental health services constitutes an important challenge for the effective delivery of care. Cultural competence has been proposed as a general approach for improving services, which requires changes at both institutional and clinical levels. The vast majority of cultural competence models have been developed in the United States. Clinical cultural competence consists of specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes that function together to provide an individualized, cultural sensitive and appropriate treatment. Although a very promising start, cultural competence in mental health needs to be further defined, adapted, and researched for effective application in the Spanish context.