Culture and special populations Flashcards
What are some of the main problems with scales (e.g. the lemon vs orange sour scale)?
Classifying and labelling implications - DEFINITIONS
Needs to be specific / relevant to needs
Norms / Representative of population
Subjectivity / bias e.g. cultures overlooked
Method
How can one’s culture affect the assessment process?
Language barriers - phrasing and instructions
Norms not relevant
Interventions may not be suitable
Rapport - Empathy
Why is a translator problematic during assessment?
Accuracy of meaning conveyed?
Rapport lessened
Privacy/ don’t want to open up
Behavioural cues missed or misinterpreted (e.g. eye contact)
How does intelligence relate to culture?
Intelligence is about being adaptive to the environment and therefore is culturally defined.
Which scales of the WISC differ most between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australian children?
Verbal and Performance scales
Which tests of intelligence minimise the impact of cultural bias?
Kaufman, Assessment Battery for Children, Leiter International Performance Scale, Culture Fair Intelligence test, and Progressive Matrices
Why is re-norming tests difficult?
Labour intensive
What should psychologists do to better prepare for cultural differences in assessment?
Self-assess
Learn about the culture - Talk to community
Acknowledge differences
Find out the preferred language then find assessor with same language
Review suitability of assessment
Be aware of things like ‘informed consent’ and ‘confidentiality’
Use multiple methods
Observe in natural environment
What does ADRESSING stand for when referring to minority groups?
Age Disability Religion Ethnicity Social Status Sexual Orientation Indigenous Nationality Gender
How can age create a ‘special population’?
Elderly:
- other medical problems
- cultural issues
- resistance (pride)
Young:
- consent
- language not developed
- less skill
- need secondary sources (and observation)
How can religion create a ‘special population’?
- belief systems (resistance to intervention)
- gender roles
- religious garb
How can disability create a ‘special population’?
Intellectual:
- fewer skills and IQ
- pre-conceptions
Intellectual
- restricted to horizontal position
- blind
- deaf
How can Indigenous heritage create a ‘special population’?
- different values
- different approaches to learning
What should be considered when testing refugees?
- Pre-arrival problems (nutrition, living standards, education)
- Effects of trauma (violence, loss)
- Unfamiliar with Australian system
- Communication
- Potential family fractures
How can the military be a special population?
- Problems with homecomings
- differences in response to treatment
- need for greater attention to stress/ debriefing
