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K. Jayasankara Reddy, Unnati G Hunjan & Adithya Ramesh
CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, India
Culture is a way of life and it encompasses all that surrounds us and also things that are within us. The psychological assessment practice with multicultural populations in any country requires evidence based cultural competence. Culturally competent assessment practice includes culture-specific styles of service delivery, use of the patient’s first language, culture, values, and an evaluation of the client as a cultural being prior to test administration using cultural orientation categories. This information is very essential for understanding health and illness related 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. Professional and societal benefits of cultural competence in assessment are suggested.
Keyword: psychological assessment, multi-culture, assessment ethics, cross cultural