Prevention programs and special education: Considerations related to risk, social competence, and multiculturalism.

As one reviews the literature on culture-related factors influencing behavioral outcomes and responsiveness to preventive programs, it becomes clear that in addition to the more traditionally defined risk factors, "special education status" itself can be considered an at-risk cultural designation. Despite this additional vulnerability to failure, primary prevention programs for special education (SE) populations are found to be both underdeveloped and understudied. The authors discuss how issues of multiculturalism and cross-cultural competence can be understood and used to enhance the education of SE students. Recommendations are made to enhance the design and delivery of multiculturally sensitive health promotion and problem prevention programs for SE.