The Components and Indicators of Multicultural Community Mental Health Practice Competency among Village Health Volunteers in Yala Province
Keywords:
Community Mental Health Performance, Competency, Multicultural, Village Health Volunteers (VHVs)Abstract
This descriptive study aimed to examine the components and indicators of multicultural community mental health performance competencies among Village Health Volunteers in Yala Province. The sample consisted of 330 VHVs from eight districts in Yala Province, selected through stratified random sampling. The research instrument was a questionnaire, validated for content validity with an index of item objective congruence (IOC) between .67 – 1.00. Overall Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .95. Data were analyzed by Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), including the process of factor extraction and factor rotation using the Varimax method.
Research Findings:The study identified that the components and indicators of multicultural community mental health performance competencies for Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) in Yala Province comprise 4 components and 32 indicators. These components were as follows: 1) Attitudinal Competency and Cultural Sensitivity in Mental Health Care (11 indicators) 2) Mental Health Screening and Assessment Competency in the Community (9 indicators) 3) Communication, Coordination, and Community Resource Linkage Competency (7 indicators) 4) Continuity of Mental Health Care Competency (5 indicators) The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) results indicated that these four components collectively accounted for 59.01% of the total variance. The factor loadings for all retained indicators ranged from .519 to .849. These findings offer a framework for the development of multicultural competency assessment tools and the design of targeted capacity-building programs for VHVs that are specifically tailored to the unique socio-cultural context of the area. Furthermore, the findings may inform policy and practice by guiding strategies to strengthen multicultural community mental health competencies among VHVs, thereby improving service quality and reducing disparities in access to mental health care.
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