Poster #170 - Cultural sensitivity in adapting an Early prevention program for Arab early childhood educators in Israel

• In Event: 3-053 - Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: PS 10 Section - Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Integrative Statement

Different cultures sustain different conceptions of the "ideal social child" and consequently construct different socializing experiences for their children during early childhood. This is greatly reflected in childcare settings (Doge & keller, 2014; Gernhardt et al, 2014; Tobin et al, 2004; Rourou et al 2006). Yet most training for educators in non-western socio-cultural subgroups is western-biased, entailing theoretical constructs that prioritize agency and self-regulation (Jaramillo et al, 2017; Gestsdottir et al, 2014; Keller, 2013; Trommsdorff, 2009) thus endorsing an individualistic image of the developing child. These concepts may not be congruent with values and attitudes held by more "traditional" educators, and require further adaptation (Zhao, 2018; Yilmaz et al, 2016; Pardhan, 2012).
Likewise, the literature on adapting early-prevention programs highlights the concept of "cultural sensitivity" yet provides general and somewhat vague guidelines for implementation (Garner et al, 2014; Gardiner & French, 2011). Most studies on program-adaptation refer to North-American early-prevention programs, where those who deliver the intervention ("interventionists") are mainly white-middle-class professionals, imposing the developmental goals of the dominant socio-cultural group on the minority participants. There is a dearth of studies on adapting prevention programs for other societies, such as Arab educators in Israel; and no empirical data on inter-cultural differences and unique challenges when the interventionists are from within the socio-cultural group. Furthermore, most studies on cultural child-rearing practices in the Arab society in Israel refer to family context (Feldman & Masslaha, 2010; Feldman et al, 2010), neglecting the childcare environment.

The current study aims to delineate the main challenges and areas of tensions in adapting an early-prevention program for Arab educators in Israel. The "Learning to Live Together" program addresses daily practices of educators to promote socio-emotional competence of children. The original program (Rosenthal & Gatt, 2010a, 2010b) was revised by 12 Arab early childhood senior professionals that served as co-authors for a culturally-sensitive program for Arab educators. Subsequently, they delivered the intervention in Arab childcare settings.

Using a narrative case study approach, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were held with these 12 Arab professionals. Findings identify 4 key issues of concern that require culturally-sensitive adaption, emphasizing the need to create a space for Arab educators to explore implicit conflicting attitudes: (1) "emotional display rules": Arab educators tend to discourage crying and overt expression of distress of children, conveying ambivalence as to what should be expressed/concealed "in-public". (2) "Talking about emotions": emotional vocabulary and discourse are not customary in the daily communication, yet educators feel obliged do so, according to western-models. (3) Exploring issues of authority and compliance: negotiations are not encouraged during peer-conflict; children are expected to comply with the educators' authority. (4) Articulating the educators' role as facilitator of socio-emotional development: Arab educators perceived themselves mainly as promoters of cognitive-academic competencies.
Additional findings reveal unique challenges for the Arab professional interventionists, who regard themselves mainly as "agents of social change" within their communities, thus expressing hostility towards the "less-westernized" educators. Implications for intervention are discussed within the context of multifaceted socio-cultural changes within the Arab society.

Author

• Lihi Gatt, MLA college
  Presenting Author