Sarcouncil Journal of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences

Abstract: In increasingly diverse societies, counsellors are required to address sexual health concerns that are deeply embedded within cultural, social, and identity-based contexts. This study examines the role of multicultural competence in counselling practice and its implications for the effectiveness of sexual health interventions. Using a mixed-methods approach, quantitative data were collected from counselling and sexual health practitioners to assess cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, and culturally responsive counselling skills, alongside key intervention outcomes such as therapeutic alliance, client engagement, and perceived effectiveness. Qualitative insights further explored practitioners’ experiences in navigating cultural sensitivities and ethical challenges in sexual health counselling. The results indicate that all dimensions of multicultural competence are positively and significantly associated with improved sexual health counselling outcomes, with culturally responsive skills emerging as the strongest predictor of intervention effectiveness. Visual and statistical analyses reveal a consistent increase in intervention effectiveness with higher levels of multicultural competence. The findings highlight the importance of integrating self-awareness, cultural understanding, and adaptive counselling strategies into professional training and practice. This study contributes to the growing body of literature by demonstrating that multicultural competence is essential for delivering ethical, inclusive, and effective sexual health counselling interventions across diverse populations.