The effectiveness of the bibliotherapy method in developing nurses' cultural intelligence and competence: A mixed-methods study

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the developmental bibliotherapy method in improving nurses' cultural intelligence and competence. Methods: The study was conducted between January and June 2024 using an advanced mixed-method intervention design. This design predominantly adopted a quantitative approach, and a randomized controlled experimental study and qualitative research were carried out simultaneously. The sample consisted of 30 nurses (15 intervention, 15 control) working in Eskişehir. The intervention included an online transcultural nursing education program, reading two books and two short stories, and evaluating a film. Data were collected through pre-test and post-test assessments and semi-structured interviews. The data collection tools included the Socio-demographic Characteristics and Data Form, the Nurse Cultural Competence Scale, and the Cultural Intelligence Scale. The Papadopoulos, Tilki & Taylor Model of Developing Cultural Competence was used to design the educational content, analyze the data, and interpret the findings. Results: The qualitative findings showed that cultural care experiences contributed to cultural awareness and competence development, mainly through individual effort. Participants reported difficulties providing cultural care due to language barriers, institutional limitations, and a lack of guidance and formal education. The books, stories, and film used in the bibliotherapy process enhanced nurses' cultural awareness, empathy, and sensitivity to cultural diversity. The quantitative findings showed that bibliotherapy significantly improved nurses' cultural competence levels, whereas no significant difference was found between the intervention and control groups regarding cultural intelligence levels. Conclusions: Bibliotherapy effectively enhanced nurses' cultural competence but was insufficient for developing cultural intelligence. Keywords: Bibliotherapy, nursing, mixed methods, cultural intelligence, cultural competence