Views and reported practices of South African speech-language therapy and audiology undergraduate students on linguistic and cultural integration in training

Abstract

BACKGROUND: South Africa's speech-language therapy (SLT) and audiology professions face challenges in achieving linguistic and cultural integration (i.e., the meaningful incorporation of diverse linguistic and cultural perspectives into training and practice), a critical aspect for effectively serving the country's diverse population. Limited curriculum content on indigenous languages and cultural competence, along with low diversity of academic and clinical training staff (staff), may hinder students' preparedness for multilingual and multicultural clinical practice. This study explored undergraduate students' views and self-reported practices regarding linguistic and cultural integration during their professional training. AIM: To explore the views and practices of South African SLT and audiology undergraduate students concerning linguistic and cultural integration in their training. METHODS: A cross-sectional convergent mixed-methods survey design was used to gather quantitative and qualitative data from a purposive sample of 48 third- and fourth-year SLT and audiology students across four South African universities. Data were collected using a structured online questionnaire, including Likert-scale items and open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while thematic analysis was applied to qualitative responses. RESULTS: Within this sample, participants recognised the importance of linguistic and cultural competence but report feeling inadequately prepared to implement these skills in clinical settings. Key barriers included insufficient curriculum coverage of cultural topics, reliance on untrained interpreters, and a lack of bilingual resources. Students from indigenous language backgrounds reported higher ratings of the importance of linguistic integration than their English-speaking peers (p < .05). Qualitative themes suggested a perceived need for greater curriculum responsiveness, increased staff diversity, and enhanced institutional support to facilitate culturally competent practice. CONCLUSION: These exploratory findings suggest that curriculum responsiveness, institutional support, and staff diversity may warrant further consideration within ongoing efforts aimed at improving student preparedness for practice in South Africa's multilingual and multicultural healthcare environment. These findings point to the need for ongoing educational transformation efforts to better serve the diverse needs of the South African population.