What is cultural competence?

• A. A set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that enable effective work in cross-cultural situations.
• B. Policies that exclude non-dominant cultures.
• C. A one-time cultural awareness training.
• D. Only the clinical skills of a provider.

Answer: (A)

Cultural competence means aligning how people think, behave, and structure their organizations so that services work well across different cultures. It’s not just what an individual does or knows; it’s a coordinated mix of respectful behaviors, open attitudes, and policies and practices within the organization that together enable effective cross-cultural work.

The best description captures this integration: it describes congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that enable effective work in cross-cultural situations. That means clinicians and teams act in ways that respect diverse backgrounds, adjust approaches to meet different needs, and ensure organizational systems support equitable care.

Why the other ideas miss the mark: focusing on policies that exclude non-dominant cultures is the opposite of cultural competence. Viewing cultural competence as a one-time cultural awareness training falls short because genuine competence develops through ongoing practice and systemic support, not a single event. Limiting it to clinical skills ignores the attitudes and organizational changes that make cross-cultural work truly effective.