Presentation Information
[SY-47-03]Investigating the strengths and limitations of communities of practice as an intercultural competence training modality
*Janique Johnson-Lafleur1, Élise Bourgeois-Guérin2, Dominique Gaulin3 (1.SHERPA University Institute and McGill University(Canada), 2.TELUQ University(Canada), 3.Université de Montréal(Canada))
Keywords:
Cultural psychiatry,Training,Communities of practice
Background: Teaching how to integrate “culture” into mental health care and psychosocial intervention is a complex task. It requires not only the transmission of knowledge, but also the questioning of certain assumptions and dominant paradigms, as well as a transformation in learners’ ways of being and doing. Communities of Practice (CoPs) have been proposed as a promising training modality to address these challenges. Objectives: This presentation aims to examine the strengths and limitations of CoPs as a modality for intercultural training. Methods: Findings from two mixed-methods evaluative studies—one in a healthcare setting and one in a community-based organization—are combined to draw meta-inferences. Results: Key strengths identified include collaborative and reflective learning, a sense of group support, resource sharing, and the mitigation of professional burnout. However, several limitations were also observed: certain group dynamics, facilitation challenges, systemic barriers, lack of pedagogical structure, and limited engagement with anthropological knowledge. Conclusions: While CoPs offer a valuable space for mutual learning and support, they can also become counterproductive if critical elements—such as skilled facilitation, structural support, and theoretical grounding—are not ensured. These findings invite a more nuanced consideration of how to design and sustain intercultural training initiatives in mental health.