Validating a Measure of Organizational Cultural Competence in Voluntary Child Welfare

Abstract

Objective: This research examines the psychometric properties of two subscales of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Multicultural Council’s Organizational Cultural Competence Assessment, which together have been used to assess organizational cultural competence in child welfare agencies. Method: Confirmatory factor analysis was utilized to analyze data on 478 child welfare workers. Results: Six models were generated based upon the theoretical literature. The best-fitting model was unidimensional (χ2 = 13.18, df = 9, p = .15; root mean square error of approximation = 0.03; comparative fit index = 0.99; Tucker–Lewis Index = 0.99). Discussion and applications to social work: Factors that are more proximal to client interaction were stronger indicators of organizational cultural competence than those that were more distal. Those wishing to examine organizational cultural competence in voluntary child welfare settings should consider using the validated form of the AUCD instrument.