Development and Implementation of the Culturally Competent Program with Cambodians: The Pilot Psycho-Social-Cultural Treatment Group Program

Abstract

Most Southeast Asians (SEAs) came to the United States as refugees after the fall of Saigon in 1975. Among SEAs, Cambodians were known to be the most traumatized ethnic group with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, a conceptual framework of culturally competent practice for Cambodians is still in the early stages of development. The current pilot study sought to fill this gap by presenting a pilot program developed by combining Cambodian cultural traditions and spiritual philosophy with Western mental health techniques and was delivered by a Buddhist monk as a paraprofessional. In an effort to document the potential usefulness of the program, this study conducted an evaluation, and the findings indicate that the current program holds implications in the helping professions.

Keywords:

• PTSD
• Cambodians
• culturally competent practice
• Buddhism
• mindfulness meditation
• cognitive approach
• paraprofessional

Acknowledgments

The authors want to thank and acknowledge the following people who supported and assisted them during the project: Venerable Rong Be, Daryn Reicherter, MD, Bophal Phen, ASW, Mo Yeav, ASW, Sophany Bay, MHRS, and Sarosa Uk, MHRS.