Professional standards and guidelines encourage the consideration and inclusion of individuals from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds in all aspects of testing. However, meeting this goal presents many unique challenges. When these recommendations remain unaddressed or do not incorporate methodologies promulgated in the literature, test results may be misinterpreted and used improperly.
To encourage the practice of standards-aligned methodologies and processes, this webinar series will highlight the expertise of an interdisciplinary group of scholar-practitioners engaged in this work from school, forensic, educational, and clinical/counseling psychology. These scholars will share empirically based recommendations; best practice examples; and case studies that will assist with the development, adaptation, and validation of measures used with individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse groups.
- Samuel O. Ortiz (September 10, 2019) will explain and outline the empirical foundations of the Cultural-Language Interpretative Matrix (C-LIM) method for validating obtained test scores for English Learners (ELs) and describe its application in the evaluation of ELs as one example of how research may be used to better and more fairly inform practice.
- Guillermo Solano-Flores (September 24, 2019) will discuss emerging methodologies that address the intersection of culture, language, and testing as critical to fairly assessing students classified as ELs. These new developments build on current knowledge from the fields of psychometrics, sociolinguistics, sociocultural theory, and social semiotics
- Joseph Rios (October 1, 2019) will discuss how to improve the validity of inferences made from adapted tests by addressing recommendations for test development, such as identification of appropriate test translators and judgmental designs for evaluating translation quality, and discussing quantitative as well as qualitative methods for investigating potential sources of translation bias (construct, method, and item bias).
- Rebecca Weiss (October 24, 2019) will use guidance from both psychology and language studies to review important considerations and recommendations when using interpreters in psychological evaluations. Ethical responsibilities, legal requirements, logistical realities and best practices will be reviewed.
- James Allen (November 5, 2019) will discuss emergent scientific considerations and ethical concerns and resulting psychometric operating characteristics, internal structure, and external validity of two measures that were initially adapted then revised to produce culturally grounded measures for suicide prevention of indigenous youth.
Visit https://buros.org/cultural-linguistic-webinar-series for presentation abstracts, presenter biographies, and registration information. Individual registrations are $15/webinar or $20/webinar to receive APA CE or NASP CPD credit. Reduced pricing for all individuals in an organization or a class is available by emailing Dr. Jessica L. Jonson at jjonson@buros.org.