Culturally Competent Assessment Practice in the United States

Abstract

Assessment practice with multicultural populations in the United States requires cultural competence. Culturally competent assessment includes culture-specific styles of service delivery, use of the client's first language, and an evaluation of the client as a cultural being prior to test administration using cultural orientation categories. This information is essential for understanding health/illness beliefs, to indicate the possible presence of culture-specific symptoms, and to select standard or culture-specific tests. Assessment ethics recognize the desirability of alteration or modification of standard tests by translation and development of new norms. Cross-cultural construct validity, response sets, and cultural variables are also research priorities. Culture-specific tests should be constructed and validated for some clients as determined by cultural orientation status. Feedback of test findings to clients and significant others should be consistent with cultural expectations. Professional and societal benefits of cultural competence in assessment are suggested.