Application of the Interactional Model of Cultural Diversity to Identify Diversity Climate Factors Associated with Organizational Effectiveness in Accredited U.S. Physical Therapist Education Programs

<p>Accredited U.S. physical therapist education programs are responsible for the preparation of its graduates to provide culturally sensitive care to meet the physical therapy needs of an increasingly diverse population. While the importance of workforce diversity has been articulated, the effect of <em>diversity climate</em> on <em>organizational effectiveness </em>within accredited U.S. physical therapist education programs has not been described. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Interactional Model of Cultural Diversity (IMCD, Cox, 1993) as a theoretical framework to identify <em>diversity climate</em> factors associated with <em>organizational effectiveness</em> in accredited U.S. physical therapist education programs. A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to examine two constructs of the theoretical framework. A total of 151 programs (RR=83.9%) participated in the study. Key informants were academic coordinators/directors of clinical education (N=151). Cronbach's alpha coefficients were .82 for the IAPCC-R (Campinha-Bacote, 2002) and .78 for the perception of diversity climate survey adapted from The Ethnicity Subscale of The Diversity Survey (Brinkman et al, 1992).</p> <p>Some <em>diversity climate</em> factors were associated with <em>organizational effectiveness</em> in accredited U.S. physical therapist education programs in this analysis. <em>Identity structures</em> significantly predicted graduation rate, number of graduates, number of minority graduates and percent minority graduates. <em>Culture and acculturation process</em> significantly predicted licensure rate. <em>Structural integration</em> significantly predicted graduation rate, number of minority graduates and percent minority graduates. <em>Institutional bias in human resource systems</em> significantly predicted number of minority graduates and percent minority graduates. Favorable perceptions of <em>diversity climate</em> were associated with a higher number of minority graduates and higher percent minority graduates.</p> <p>The current <em>diversity climate</em> in accredited U.S. physical therapist education programs is sub-optimal. Unfavorable perceptions of <em>diversity climate</em> were identified in all <em>institutional bias in human resource systems</em> subscales. Future policy directions should explore evidence-based strategies and the effectiveness of studies related to <em>diversity climate</em> to foster the profession's contributions to eliminating health disparities and improving workforce diversity.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Health Services Research

Year dc:date.available

2008

Author dc:creator

• Giles, Elizabeth Francis

Contributors dc:contributor

• Laurel S. Garzon
• Stacey B. Plichta
• Carolyn M. Rutledge

• Cultural diversity
• Diversity climate
• Organizational effectiveness
• Physical therapists
• Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education
• Higher Education
• Medical Education

Identifier

9780549928393

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.odu.edu:healthservices_etds-1024