Cultural competence is a rising concern within the sub-specialty of forensic evaluation and will grow in need as the population diversifies. We surveyed 100 forensic evaluators to explore issues related to cultural competence. Overall, evaluators differed demographically from those they evaluate. Self-reported culturally competent practices varied, suggesting that evaluators do not always uphold practice guidelines. Evaluators' training variety was associated with an increased likelihood to address communication difficulties with evaluatees. Evaluators who saw more racially and linguistically diverse evaluatees were more likely to participate in culturally sensitive case formulation practices. We conclude with implications for practice at the individual and institutional levels and directions for research.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Acevedo-PolakovichI. D.Reynaga-AbikoG.GarriottP. O.DerefinkoK. J.WimsattM.K.GudonisL. C.BrownT. L. (2007). Beyond instrument selection: Cultural considerations in the psychological assessment of U.S. Latinas/os. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(4), 375–384. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.38.4.375
2.
AggarwalN. K.Jiménez-SolomonO.LamP. C.HintonL.Lewis-FernándezR. (2016). The core and informant Cultural Formulation Interviews in DSM-5. In FernándezR. LewisAggarwalN. K.HintonL.HintonD. E.KirmayerL. J.Lewis FernándezR.KirmayerL. J. (Eds.), DSM-5® Handbook on the Cultural Formulation Interview (pp. 27–44). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.
3.
AklinW. M.TurnerS. M. (2006). Toward understanding ethnic and cultural factors in the interviewing process. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 43(1), 50–64. doi: 10.1037/0033-3204.43.1.50
4.
American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, & National Council on Measurement in Education. (2014). Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.
ArcherR. P.Buffington-VollumJ. K.StrednyR. V.HandelR. W. (2006). A survey of psychological test use patterns among forensic psychologists. Journal of Personality Assessment, 87(1), 84–94. doi: 10.1207/s15327752jpa8701_07
12.
CarterR. T.ForsythJ. M. (2007). Examining race and culture in psychology journals: The case of forensic psychology. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(2), 133–142. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.38.2.133
13.
ConstantineM. G.LadanyN. (2000). Self-report multicultural counseling competence scales: Their relation to social desirability attitudes and multicultural case conceptualization ability. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 47(2), 155–164. doi: 10.1037//0022-0167.47.2.155
14.
CrossT.BazronB.DennisK.IsaacsM. (1989). Towards a culturally competent system of care, Volume I. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Child Development Center, CASSP Technical Assistance Center.
15.
D'AndreaM.DanielsJ.HeckR. (1991). Evaluating the impact of multicultural counseling training. Journal of Counseling & Development, 70(1), 143–150. doi: 10.1002/j.15566676.1991.tb01576.x
16.
DragunsJ. G.Tanaka-MatsumiJ. (2003). Assessment of psychopathology across and within cultures: Issues and findings. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 41(7), 755–776. doi: 10.1016/S0005-7967(02)00190-0
FernandezK.BoccacciniM. T.NolandR. M. (2007). Professionally responsible test selection for Spanish-speaking clients: A four-step approach for identifying and selecting translated tests. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(4), 363–374. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.38.4.363
19.
FujiiD. E.WongT. M. (2007). Neuropsychological assessment with Asian-American immigrants: Recommendations for meeting Daubert standards. Journal of Forensic Neuropsychology, 4(4), 3–31. doi:10.1300/J151v04n04_02
HartS.SturmeyP.LoganC.McMurranM. (2011). Forensic case formulation. The International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 10(2), 118–126. doi: 10.1080/14999013.2011.577137
22.
HeilbrunK.WarrenJ.PicarelloK. (2003). Third party information in forensic assessment. In GoldsteinA. M.GoldsteinA. M. (Eds.), Handbook of psychology: Forensic psychology, Vol. 11 (pp. 69–86). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
23.
HicksJ. W. (2004). Ethnicity, race, and forensic psychiatry: Are we color-blind?Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law, 32, 21–33.
24.
JuvonenJ.NishinaA.GrahamS. (2006). Ethnic diversity and perceptions of safety in urban middle schools. Psychological Science, 17(5), 393–400. doi: 10.1111/j.14679280.2006.01718.x
LichtenbergJ. W.PortnoyS. M.BebeauM. J.LeighI. W.NelsonP. D.RubinN. K.KaslowN. J. (2007). Challenges to the assessment of competence and competencies. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 38(5), 474–478. doi: 10.1037/0735-7028.38.5.474
28.
MadduxJ. (2010). Recommendations for forensic evaluators conducting interpreter-mediated interviews. The International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 9(1), 55–62. doi: 10.1080/14999013.2010.483343
29.
MeltonG. B.PetrilaJ.PoythressN. G.SloboginC.LyonsP. J.OttoR. K. (2007). Psychological evaluations for the courts: A handbook for mental health professionals and lawyers (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
MyersH. F.EchemendiaR. J.TrimbleJ. E. (1991). The need for training ethnic minority psychologists. In MyersH. F.WohlfordP.GuzmanL.EchemendiaR. J. (Eds.), Ethnic minority perspectives on clinical training and services in psychology (pp. 3–11). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
32.
NeimeyerG. J.TaylorJ. M.WearD. (2010). Continuing education in psychology: Patterns of participation and aspects of selection. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 41(4), 281–287. doi: 10.1037/a0019811
33.
NeimeyerG. J.TaylorJ. M.RozenskyR. H.CoxD. R. (2014). The diminishing durability of knowledge in professional psychology: A second look at specializations. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 45(2), 92–98. doi: 10.1037/a0036176
34.
PaezK. A.AllenJ. K.BeachM. C.CarsonK. A.CooperL. A. (2009). Physician cultural competence and patient ratings of the patient-physician relationship. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 24(4), 495–498. doi: 10.1007/s11606-009-0919-7
StarrS. S.WallaceD. C. (2011). Client perceptions of cultural competence of community based nurses. Journal of Community Health Nursing, 28(2), 57–69. doi: 10.1080/07370016.2011.564057
37.
SueD. W.SueD. (2012). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
38.
SuzukiL. A.OnoueM. A.HillJ. S. (2013). Clinical assessment: A multicultural perspective. In GeisingerK. F.BrackenB. A.CarlsonJ. F.HansenJ. C.KuncelN. R.ReiseS. P.RodriguezM. C. (Eds.), APA handbook of testing and assessment in psychology, Vol. 2: Testing and assessment in clinical and counseling psychology (pp. 193–212). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association. doi: 10.1037/14048-012
39.
TsengW-S.MatthewsD.ElwynT. (2004). Cultural competence in forensic mental health. New York, NY: Brunner-Routledge.
40.
Tummala–NarraP.SingerR.LiZ.EspositoJ.AshS. E. (2012). Individual and systemic factors in clinicians' self-perceived cultural competence. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 43(3), 165–174. doi: 10.1037/a0025783
41.
WeissR. A.RosenfeldB. (2012). Navigating cross-cultural issues in forensic assessment: Recommendations for practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 43(3), 234–240. doi: 10.1037/a0025850
