1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«The objective of the article is to explore what understandings of culture circulate in YMH [youth mental health] clinicians’ and families’ narratives, how culture is used in their discourses, and to what extent this use is embedded in a framework that might provide or hinder a feeling of cultural safety for families accessing services.» (p. 313)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«This article is based on research findings from the qualitative strand of a large multisite and mixed-methods research program on collaborative care in YMH conducted in socio-economically and culturally diverse neighborhoods, in Montréal. Two sets of data will be solicited for this paper and examined using a qualitative case study design (Creswell, 2003): (1) narratives from families and clinicians involved in YMH follow-ups in first line health and social services centers (Study I); and (2) narratives from clinicians about their experience of a specific intercultural training modality (Study II). Field notes were also collected throughout both studies, documenting the context of data collection activities along with researchers’ reflexive accounts.» (p. 313)

Instruments :
- Guide d’entretien semi-directif
- Guide d’entretien de groupe

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

The «research findings indicate that culture is present in research participants’ discourse as a complex montage of various implicit definitions. Both clinicians’ and families’ understandings of culture seem to be influenced by definitions of the concept that existed in different periods of anthropological thought, including early 20th century stereotypical and fixed representations, as well as more recent nuanced, fluid, heterogeneous, politicized, and process-based understandings of culture. [The] results also suggest that culture can be used as a narrative strategy to mediate clinical encounters, either by engaging in an authentic dialogue, or by avoiding or rejecting it. Thus, culture as a conceptual tool in the clinical realm can be seen as a double-edged sword, in that it can be used to both reify stereotypes and inequalities, as well as mobilize representations to establish cultural safety and enable transformative practice.» (p. 17) Also, the «results suggest that minority families’ experiences of YMH services may be improved with three types of initiatives: (1) raising awareness of the importance of culture in YMH services; (2) supporting training initiatives in intercultural care; and (3) promoting an ongoing reflective practice enabled by a supportive environment.» (p. 324)