title: Occupational therapy practitioners' perspectives regarding international cross-cultural work.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the perspectives of occupational therapy practitioners who have engaged in cross-cultural work experiences. The research question was how do occupational therapy practitioners make meaning of their lived cross-cultural experiences.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study utilised a qualitative, phenomenological design. Eleven open-ended, semi-structured interviews were conducted with occupational therapy practitioners educated in the United States and who engaged in international practice. The interviews were then coded and analysed using a constant comparative analysis approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three central themes emerged from the completed interviews and data analysis, including connectedness, cultural awareness and complexity. Connectedness is the process of forming relationships with others while engaging in cross-cultural experiences. Cultural awareness is the recognition and understanding of a different culture, comparing these insights with one's own culture and then responding to those differences. Complexity is the idea that cross-cultural experiences are dynamic, multi-faceted and intricate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study helps provide an understanding of cross-cultural work experiences from the practitioners' perspective. The demands of such work require practitioners to go beyond developing basic skills related to cultural sensitivity and cultural awareness. Instead, practitioners need to embrace and integrate the ability to incorporate layers of cultural awareness, complexity and connectedness into practice. Further research is needed to understand how this is actually developed and utilised within practice.
authors.affiliation: Elizabethtown College, One Alpha Dr., Elizabethtown, PA 17022, USA. humbertt@etown.edu
authors.forename: Tamera Keiter
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Humbert
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burket
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deveney
authors.forename: Katelyn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001364:Awareness; D003210:Concept Formation; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D017146:Models, Organizational; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D036301:Qualitative Research