How to Build Cultural Competence in Assessment

Effective assessment goes beyond standardized measures—it requires thoughtful approaches that account for each individual's unique cultural background. Use the graphic below as a reference for actionable steps and insights to implement more informed, equitable, and context-aware evaluation practices.

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Enhancing Equity in Assessment: A Guide to Culturally Competent Evaluation

Cultural competence is a lifelong dedication to understanding and respecting people's different lived experiences. In educational and clinical settings, cultural competence allows us to reflect on our assumptions, avoid misdiagnosis, foster authentic collaboration, and center people's strengths.

1. Reflect 
   
   1. Explore your beliefs, behaviors, and biases. Becoming culturally responsive takes time, and the journey requires courageous self-reflection. 
   2. Adopt a strengths-based, holistic view of the student rather than focusing only on challenges. 
   3. Select assessments appropriate for the student and referral question. Ensure that a student's background is a good match for the test's normative sample and consider language and technology needs. 
   4. Create a welcoming and non-judgmental testing environment by considering several factors including body language, office entry and security, and aspects of decor.
   5. Use caution when including information about race, gender, sexuality, migration status, and trauma details in a report. 
2. Respect
   
   1. Talk plainly and honestly with students and families about what to expect from the process. 
   2. Explain who will see the assessment results and how they will be used. Ask about the recipient's communication preferences.
   3. Commit the time for detailed interviews, family histories, and observations to understand why an evaluation is needed. Multiple sources and approaches may be needed to gather cultural contexts. 
   4. Gather qualitative and quantitative data from di˝erent sources. Include those who know the student in different contexts.
   5. Identify and address barriers, including transportation, language, scheduling, and the ability to access the report. 
3. And finally, if you make an error that causes a rupture with the student or family, apologize. Seek peer support or supervision to keep moving toward greater cultural sensitivity.

To learn more about cultural competence and assessment, explore Dr. McGhee's podcast, The Multicultural Psychologist, or earn continuing education (CE) credits
through one of her ProLearn® webinars.