This descriptive study used a mixed methods design and sought to examine students' perceptions on workforce education and development (WED) curriculum responsiveness to culturally and internationally diverse graduate students, at a Midwestern university on four dimensions: teaching strategies (to include delivery), curriculum inclusiveness, international responsiveness, and curriculum improvements. The research study design consisted of the mixed methods Follow-up Explanations Model (QUAN emphasized) complemented by the With-in Stage Mixed Model. A pragmatic paradigm guided the collection and analysis of the study's census data (survey and focus groups). A newly developed WED Curriculum Responsiveness Survey (.850 Cronbach's alpha index) containing closed- and open-ended questions facilitated data collection from all the population. Three follow-up focus groups gathered qualitative data for explaining the survey quantitative results. Study participants comprised all graduate students with at least one year continuous enrollment from fall 2007 to spring 2008 in a WED program at a Midwestern university. A total of 69 (44% response rate) participants responded to the census survey comprising three main study groups: U.S. majority, U.S. minority, and International students. At this snapshot in time and based on study findings of students' perceptions, WED curriculum responsiveness to culturally and internationally diverse graduate students at a Midwestern university appeared to be inadequate. This was evident in the resulting overall weak correlation in the most used and most responsive teaching strategies to students' learning style preferences in its WED program. Further, U.S. minority and international students generally perceived cultural insensitivity to occur sometimes to quite often respectively in teaching delivery and the WED curriculum content to be typically aligned to the interests of the dominant group (Caucasians). All student groups (U.S. majority, U.S. minority, and international) found a limited representation of international perspectives on WED course topics. These findings imply that students experienced much intellectual and cultural bondage with a U.S.-centric curriculum in their graduate studies that does not fully preparing them for today's global marketplace. Students' suggestions for reversing these trends were to diversify/internationalize WED curriculum content, diversify teaching styles, hire diverse faculty, and provide faculty diversity training. These suggestions were strongly supported by the theoretical and empirical literature on critical race theory, critical education theory, curriculum inclusiveness, multicultural education, and internationalization in U.S. higher education.

Studiens syfte var att undersöka behandlarens respektive klientens upplevelser av behandling riktade kring beteendemönster som är kriminellt normbrytande, där mottaglighet till behandling beaktas särskilt utifrån principerna risk, behov och mottaglighet. Studien utgick från en induktiv kvalitativ ansats med nio semistrukturerade intervjuer. Frågeställningar har besvarats av fem praktiker från frivården och av fyra före detta kriminella män som genomgått någon form av behandling för att motverka återfall i brott. Intervjumaterialet har sedan bearbetats och analyserats med hjälp av Bronfenbrenners utvecklingsekologiska modell och Jönsons perspektivansats. Det framkom från både behandlare och respondenter att orsaker till normbrytande beteende ofta hänger samman med en dysfunktionell uppväxt vilket sedan lett till kriminalitet i vuxenlivet. Andra faktorer kan vara en bristande skolgång med utanförskap som följd. Det framkom av både behandlare och klienter att diagnoser är en försvårande faktor. Andra viktiga aspekter som lyftes fram var att det måste finns ett behov av samordnade insatser för personer som är beroende av olika utförare med ett bättre samarbete mellan olika professionella yrkesgrupper som kan axla både diagnoser, psykisk problematik tillsammans med missbruk och med fokus på individens behov samt förutsättningar. Studiens slutsats är att både behandlare och klienter har en samsyn kring om att det måste finnas en medvetenhet, självkännedom och fokus på ett ömsesidigt samspel vilket ökar både tilliten och mottagligheten. / The purpose of this study was to examine the therapist's and the client's experiences of treatment directed at behaviour patterns that are criminally norm-breaking, where especially responsivity to treatment is considered based on the risk, need and responsivity principles. The study was based on an inductive qualitative approach with nine semi-structured interviews. Questions have been answered by five counsellors from the Swedish correctional service and by four ex-criminal men who have undergone various behaviour treatments to prevent recidivism. The interview material has been processed and analysed using Bronfenbrenner's developmental ecology model and Jönson's perspective approach. The results emphasize that causes of norm-breaking behaviour are often related to limited complex mechanisms such as upbringing conditions, unhealthy environments, scarce resources et cetera. These variables could increase the risk for the individual to continue with crime in adulthood. Other contributing factors can be a lack of schooling with exclusion as a consequence. It emerged from both counsellors and clients that neuropsychiatric diagnoses are an aggravating factor. Important identified aspect was the need for coordinated services. Clients that have multiple conditions struggle since each service provider only provide a service for their specialized area. This report concluded that the lack of collaboration between service providers effected the client on several levels. Service providers need to collaborate and be inclusive rather than exclusive. Clients that struggled with mental health issues and addiction was excluded since the mental health service does not address the drug issue and vice versa. Client needs and conditions should be the primary focus rather than a way out for the service provider. The report identified several levels of challenges whereby clients were marginalized and excluded because of several multiple conditions. Different service provider needs to attend to clients’ needs regardless of other demands, this way services would be more permissive and clients would adhere which would increase the collaborations between service providers. Different diagnoses, psychological problems together with addiction and focus on the individual's needs and conditions would make the services more available and easier to access. In accordance to counsellors and clients the study concludes that successful changes in behavioural patterns are several but recurrent issues that emerged in the first level was awareness, self-awareness and focus on a mutual interaction, reciprocate relations then trust and responsivity increase.