A Youth Leader's Guide to Building Cultural Competence 

Do all members of the family have the same right to speak, or do some family members have 

more, or fewer, rights? 

Do children, teens and adults speak freely to one another or is there some reserve? What about 

men and women? 

Are communication forms like joking, story telling or rapping common? In what circumstances?  

Are emotions freely expressed? All or just some? Which ones? When?  

Health Beliefs  

Health beliefs cover a range of assumptions about the causes of disease as well as the proper remedies for 

illness.  

While the  germ theory  of disease   that sickness is caused by microscopic organisms such as bacteria 

and viruses   is the belief of the dominant culture of the United States, it is not the only explanation 

people have come up with for disease. The belief is growing, even among scientific circles, that the mind 

can affect the body's health in surprising ways. In addition,  supernatural  theories of disease, including 

the belief that a particular disease results from spiritually unhealthy activity, are common the world over.  

Who do people turn to for medical care if they are sick? For many who live in the U.S., the answer is a 

doctor, someone trained in the  Western medical model  of health care and disease prevention. Nurses, 

physician's assistants and others who work in doctor's offices and hospitals are all trained in that model.  

For many others, both in the U.S. and in other countries, other kinds of healers are sought out, including 

spiritualists, herbalists, shamans and others   like acupuncturists or homeopaths   who practice what is 

labeled as  alternative health care.  Often, both Western doctors and  traditional  healers will be 

consulted. The availability of multiple systems through which to pursue health can be seen as an 

advantage.  

Questions to consider: __________ 

What causes illness? Does individual behavior or fate play a role in who gets sick? What types of 

illnesses do individual behaviors influence?  

How can people prevent illness?  

To whom does one turn when sick? To which family member, if any? To what kind of doctor or 

healer?  

Family Relationships  

The family is the primary unit of society. In it, children are socialized into human society and into a 

culture's particular beliefs, attitudes, values and behaviors. The topic of family relationships include 

family structure, roles, dynamics and expectations.  

Questions to consider about cultural groups: __________ 

Is the family structure nuclear or extended? If extended, who is considered a member of the 

family? Do people have to live in the same household to be considered members of the family?  

What rights and responsibilities come with family membership? Do they vary by gender? By age? 

Who has authority in the home? Does one adult have power over some decisions, but not others? 

Is there value placed on having many or few children? On having girls or boys? Why? 

Are family members expected to be involved in other family members' decisions? Which ones? 

Which family members' opinions receive the most respect? 

Do families arrange marriages? If so, how?