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Bias in cross-cultural neuropsychological testing: problems and possible solutions

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Culture and Brain

Abstract

Cultural variables exert a powerful effect on test performance. This effect is now largely recognized in the field of neuropsychology, although rather underestimated. This paper has three parts. First, different sources of cross-cultural bias in neuropsychological testing are identified, using the taxonomy proposed by van de Vijver and Tanzer (Eur Rev Appl Psychol 54: 119–135, 2004), specifically, an examination of construct, method and item biases. Second, strategies proposed in the literature to address these biases are reviewed. Finally, a three-level approach to addressing these problems related to bias is proposed. These approaches are hierarchically organized from bottom-to-top: (1) a behavioral approach in the testing situation, (2) test adaptation and, (3) the development of a new generation of neuropsychological tests. Simultaneous test development across multiple cultures is emphasized. Guidelines for the development of these tests are proposed in order to obtain culturally fair and psychometrically robust tests.

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Notes

  1. A similar case is that of the Chinese, where multiple-digit numbers are constructed in the following way: first the digit itself, then the place (tens, hundreds or thousands, for example), and finally the next digit. For example, 65 is six tens (and) five ones.

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  1. Universidad Católica de Córdoba- Cortex Foundation-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Chile 279, CP 5000, Córdoba, Argentina

    Alberto Luis Fernández

  2. Department of Psychology, Loyola Marymount University, 1 LMU Drive Suite 4700, Los Angeles, CA, 90045, USA

    Jennifer Abe

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Fernández, A.L., Abe, J. Bias in cross-cultural neuropsychological testing: problems and possible solutions. Cult. Brain 6, 1–35 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40167-017-0050-2

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