Cultural sensitivity and translated assessments
Another therapist recently asked me, “How can we be sure that we can rely on a translated assessment to measure the performance of Israeli teens?” It should be noted that adopting assessments from one country, mostly from the United States, to another country is becoming a common practice in therapy. Translations of any kind, especially assessment tool translations, must establish an equivalent version in the target language. This mean that several boxes must be checked: (1) a back translation, (2) a cultural adaptation to assure that all aspects of the assessment are culturally relevant, (3) expert opinions from focus groups, and (4) cross-cultural comparison studies.
Once the above have been completed, the translated assessment can then be considered culturally sensitive. These steps are taken to allow comparable research across countries. Cross-cultural comparison studies, also called cross-cultural stability studies, provide evidence that can aid clinicians to interpret function within an appropriate cultural context, enhancing the ability to identify subtle difficulties in daily life among those who may be at risk for occupational performance deficits. So, I say, if it is done right, it is reliable! My take-home message is: Encourage and practice culturally sensitive interventions.
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