GUIDELINES FOR RESE A R C H IN E T H NIC MINORI T Y C O … · 2020. 8. 26. · Asian Indians, Ko r eans, So u t h e a s t Asians (e.g., Vi e t n a m e s e , Cambodians, Laotians,

GUIDELINES FOR RESE A R CH INE T HNIC MINORI TY C OMMUNI T IES

C OUNCIL OF N AT ION A L PSYCHOLOGIC A LAS S OCI AT IONS FOR T HE A DVA NCEMEN T OF

E T HNIC MINORI TY IN T ERESTS( CNPAA EMI )

J A NU A RY 2 0 0 0

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These guidelines are published by the American Psychological Association (APA), but the ideas expressed in this document do not necessarily represent APA positions

or official policy. Each paper was independently drafted by the presidents (or their designees) of the nation’s ethnic minority psychological associations.

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PREFACE

There are five national ethnicminority psychological associations:

• Asian American PsychologicalAssociation

• Association of Black Psychologists• National Hispanic Psychological

Association• Society for the Psychological Study

of Ethnic Minority Issues(Division 45 of the AmericanPsychological Association)

• Society of Indian Psychologists.

The presidents of these associationsand the president (or his/herdesignee) of the AmericanPs ychological Association (APA) con-stitute the Council of Na t i o n a lPs ychological Associations for theAd vancement of Ethnic Mi n o r i t yIn t e rests (CNPAAEMI). The goals ofthe council are :

• To promote the professional/careerdevelopment of ethnic/racialminority psychologists,

• To advance multicultural compe-tence of psychologists,

• To promote culturally competentservice delivery models of psycho-logical care,

• To increase the re c ruitment andretention of ethnic/racial minori-ties in the profession of psyc h o l o g y,

• To liaison and collaborate withother appropriate organizationsinterested in ethnic/racial minorityissues and/or projects, and

• To promote research and under-standing using alternative culturalparadigms.

Authorization of CNPAAEMI activ-ities, such as the development of theseguidelines, re q u i res unanimous con-sent of all council members. In d e e d ,the guidelines we re developed inresponse to critical concern among allof the nation’s ethnic minority psyc h o-logical associations about the culturala p p ropriateness of the methodology ofmuch of the re s e a rch in communitiesof color and the potential negativeimpact that may result when findingsof such studies are used to inform pub-lic policy. Consequently, CNPA A E M Id e veloped these guidelines to empowe rcommunities of color and to informnot only the nation’s social and behav-ioral re s e a rchers, but also major publicand private funders of communityre s e a rch and public policy analysts and advo c a t e s .

IN T R ODUC T ION(Society for the Ps y c h o l o gical Study of Ethnic Minority Issues, Division 45 of theAmerican Ps y c h o l o gical Association), 1

C ONDUC T ING PSYCHOLOGIC A L RESE A R CH WI T H T HE ASI A NA MERIC A N/PACIFIC ISL A NDER POPUL AT ION(Asian American Ps y c h o l o gical Association), 2

C ONDUC T ING RESE A R CH WI T H PERS ONS OF A FRIC A N DES CEN T(Association of Black Ps y c h o l o gists), 5

A MODEL FOR C ONDUC T ING RESE A R CH WI T H HISPA NIC S(National Hispanic Ps y c h o l o gical Association), 9

A MODEL FOR C ONDUC T ING RESE A R CH WI T H A MERIC A N INDI A NPA RT ICIPA N TS(Society of Indian Ps y c h o l o gists), 12

INFORM AT ION ON T HE MEMBER OR G A NIZ AT IONS OF T HEC OUNCIL OF N AT ION A L PSYCHOLOGIC A L AS S OCI AT IONS FOR T HEA DVA NCEMEN T OF E T HNIC MINORI TY IN T ERESTS, 1 6

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CONTENTS

This living document reflects the collective efforts of five major ethnicminority associations: The Society of Indian Psychologists (SIP), the Asian

American Psychological Association (AAPA), the Association of BlackPsychologists (ABPsi), the Society for the Psychological Study of EthnicMinority Issues (Division 45) of the American Psychological Association, andthe National Hispanic Psychological Association (NHPA). The individual docu-ments that comprise the living document were each designed to reflect researchissues relevant to African American, Asian American, Hispanic, and AmericanIndian populations.

These guidelines have been developed in the context of a rapidly changingdemographic reality and the recognition that the field of psychology must devel-op research-based strategies and methodologies that reflect the philosophicaltenets of multiculturalism. It is believed, therefore, and reflected in each of themodels presented, that as an agent of prosocial change, the culturally competentpsychologist carries the responsibility of combating the damaging effects ofracism, prejudice, bias, and oppression in all their forms, including all of themethods we use to understand the populations we serve. It is also clearly recog-nized that psychology has been traditionally defined by and based uponWestern, Eurocentric perspectives and assumptions that have governed the wayin which research has been both conceptualized and implemented, including thegeneral tendency to ignore the influence and impact of culture on cognition,emotion, and behavior. Thus, the effects of such biases have, at times, beendetrimental to the diverse needs of the populations we serve and the publicinterest and have compromised our ability to accurately understand the peoplethat we serve.

Each of the models of research presented raises a number of conceptual,methodological, and interpretation considerations critical to the implementationof culturally relevant research. Issues related to the historical and socioculturalrealities of each of the nation’s four major ethnic minority groups are discussedwith an emphasis on helping the researcher ask the appropriate questions as research activities are formulated and developed. Communication and language issues are presented and discussed in an effort to assist researchers indeveloping assessment tools that are useful and effective with the populations to be investigated.

A consistent theme throughout each of the four models relates to the interpre-tation and dissemination of research findings that are meaningful and relevant toeach of the four populations and that reflect an inherent understanding of theracial, cultural, and sociopolitical context within which they exist. These modelsnot only challenge some of the historical notions, traditional methods, and theo-retical underpinnings upon which Western psychology was initially predicated,but also offer us a unique opportunity to articulate the profound importance ofvaluing individual and cultural diversity in the research that we conduct.

Prepared by Lisa Porché-Burke, PhD,

Society for the Psychological Study ofEthnic Minority Issues (Division 45 of the

American Psychological Association)(March 1999)

INTRODUCTION

Prepared by Stanley Sue, PhD,

and Derald Wing Sue, PhD,Asian American Psychological Association

CONDUCTING PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH WITH THE ASIANAMERICAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER POPULATION

INTRODUCTION

The Asian American/Pa c i f i cIslander population is now ove r

10 million persons (almost 4% of thepopulation), is the fastest growing vis-ible racial/ethnic minority in theUnited States, and is expected to dou-ble by the year 2010. In the 1980salone, the Asian American/Pa c i f i cIslander population increased by108% and is expected to reach 20million in the year 2020 and 50 mil-lion by the year 2050. The thre elargest groups are Chinese, Fi l i p i n o s ,and Japanese. Significant numbers ofAsian Indians, Ko reans, So u t h e a s tAsians (e.g., Vi e t n a m e s e ,Cambodians, Laotians, and Hmong),and Pacific Islanders are also includedin the Asian American category. T h eAsian American/Pacific Islander popu-lation is not only the fastest grow i n gmajor ethnic minority group in theUnited States, but also the mostd i verse group in terms of culturalb a c k g round, country of origin, andc i rcumstances for coming to theUnited States. For example, morethan 50 ethnic groups, which mayprimarily speak one of more than 30d i f f e rent languages, are included inthe Asian American/Pacific Is l a n d e rc a t e g o ry.

ASSUMPTIONS IN CONDUCTINGRESEARCH ON ASIANAMERICANS/PACIFICISLANDERS1. The study of Asian Americans

and Pacific Islanders is impor-tant because: (a) They havei m p o rtant human needs thath a ve gone unre c o g n i zed; (b)not much re s e a rch has beend e voted to this population, and the existing re s e a rch hasconcentrated primarily on the

Chinese and Japanese; and (c)re s e a rch on AsianA m e r i c a n s / Pacific Islanders canhelp to test the generality oftheories that have already large-ly been developed aboutEu ropean Americans.

2. Asian Americans/PacificIslanders should be studied onvarious levels—as human beings,as Asians, as particularAsian/Pacific Islander groups(e.g., Chinese, Filipinos,Hawaiians, etc.), and as individ-uals (e.g., individual differencesin level of acculturation, lan-guage skills, ethnic identity,etc.).

3. To understand AsianAmericans/Pacific Islanders, theexamination of minority groupexperiences (history in theUnited States, experiences withprejudice and discrimination,etc.) and culture is critical.

4. Appropriate theories, validassessment tools, internally andexternally valid research method-ologies should be used withAsian Americans/PacificIslanders.

5. Research on AsianAmericans/Pacific Islandersshould include the participationof appropriate AsianAmerican/Pacific Islander investigators or collaborators in order to have points of view from cultural insiders.

6. Investigators are in a better posi-tion to conduct research withinternal and external validity if they receive training inethnography, race relations, and Asian American/PacificIslander research issues.

ASSESSMENT GUIDELINESIn using assessments or measures,

researchers must take care to addressthe equivalence of psychological con-cepts as discussed in cross-culturalresearch: Translation equivalence, con-ceptual equivalence, and metric equiv-alence.

Translation equivalence exists whenthe descriptors and measures of psy-chological concepts can be translatedwell across languages. To test the trans-lation equivalence of a measure thatwas developed in a particular culture, itis first translated by a bilingual transla-tor to another language, then back-translated from the second language tothe first by an independent bilingualt r a n s l a t o r. The two versions of them e a s u re in the original language arethen compared to discern which word sor concepts seem to surv i ve the transla-tion pro c e d u res, with the assumptionthat the concepts that surv i ve are trans-lation equivalent. This pro c e d u re canbe used to discover which psyc h o l o g i-cal concepts appear to be culture - s p e-cific or culture - c o m m o n .

Conceptual equivalence refers to thefunctional aspect of the construct thatserves the same purpose in differentcultures, although the specific behav-ior or thoughts used to measure theconstruct may be different. For exam-ple, one aspect of good decision mak-ing in the Western cultures may betypified by an ability to make a per-sonal decision without being undulyinfluenced by others, whereas gooddecision making may be understood inAsian cultures as an ability to make adecision that is best for the group.These two different behaviors pertain-ing to making decisions may be con-ceptually equivalent.

Metric equivalence refers to theanalysis of the same concept and the

same measure across cultures, with theassumptions that the scale of them e a s u re can be directly compare d .For example, one may considerwhether a score of 100 on a cert a i npersonality scale may be a metrice q u i valent of a score of 100 on thetranslated version of the same person-ality scale.

In assessing the characteristics ofAsian Americans/Pacific Islanders (aswell as other ethnic minority groups),the following procedures are impor-tant to keep in mind.

1. See if the test or assessmentinstrument has been standard-ized and normed on the particu-lar ethnic minority group of theresearch participant.

2. If the test has not been standard-ized and normed on the group,use caution in interpreting theresults.

3. Use multiple measures or multi-method procedures to determineif tests provide convergentresults.

4. Try to understand the culturalbackground of the research par-ticipant in order to place testresults in a proper context.

5. Enlist the aid of consultants whoare familiar with the researchparticipants’ backgrounds andcultures.

6. Use tests that can be linguisti-cally understood by re s e a rc hp a rt i c i p a n t s .

7. If unsure of the validity of testsfor a particular ethnic part i c i-pant, use the findings as hypothe-ses for further testing rather thanas conclusive evidence.

DESIGNING THE RESEARCH STUDY1. In conceptualizing the research,

researchers should use culturalfactors and background experi-

ences as a context within whichto view Asian Americans/PacificIslanders. Again, it is wise tohave expertise on AsianAmerican/Pacific Islander cul-ture and experiences.

2. Asian Americans/Pacific Is l a n d e r ss h ow a great deal of hetero g e n e-i t y, thus, the combining of va r i-ous Asian Americans/Pa c i f i cIslanders groups may be inappro-priate. Re s e a rchers should bea w a re of the differences amongthe various AsianA m e r i c a n / Pacific Islander gro u p s(e.g., Chinese, Japanese, Ko re a n s ,etc.). Re s e a rch conducted withAsian Americans/Pacific Is l a n d e r sas an aggregate is appropriate if acharacteristic under inve s t i g a t i o nis thought to be common to dif-f e rent Asian American/Pa c i f i cIslander groups and the limita-tions are re c o g n i zed. For exam-ple, if a re s e a rcher hypothesize dthat Asians are more collectivethan are White Americans, thend i f f e rent Asian groups may bec o m b i n e d .

3. When comparisons are madebetween Asian Americans/PacificIslanders and non-AsianAmerican/Pacific Islandergroups, differences between thegroups are not routinelyassumed to reflect deviance orundesirable characteristicsamong Asian Americans/PacificIslanders (i.e., a deficit modelinterpretation).

METHOD1. It is often difficult to obtain rep-

resentative samples of AsianAmericans/Pacific Islanders forstudy as an ethnic minoritygroup. Researchers must takecare to note the limitations thatmay be attributed to samplingmethodology.

2. The reliability and validity ofassessment instruments andmeasures to be used in a studyshould be established with AsianAmerican/Pacific Islandergroups. In the absence of instru-ment validation, results shouldbe cautiously interpreted.

3. Instructions and tasks requiredof research participants shouldbe conveyed in a language that isunderstandable to them.

4. Researchers should be aware ofethnic response sets or culturalfactors that may affect the inter-pretation of the research task orperformance among AsianAmericans/Pacific Islanders.

INTERPRETATION ANDDISSEMINATION1. Research results should be cau-

tiously interpreted in view of thecultural backgrounds of AsianAmericans/Pacific Islanders.

2. Alternative explanations for theoutcome of investigationsshould be considered, includingexplanations provided by AsianAmericans/Pacific Islanders.

3. In the interpretation of findings,investigators not familiar withAsian Americans/PacificIslanders should be aware of theliterature on AsianAmericans/Pacific Islanders andconsult with persons who haveexpertise on this population.

4. Research findings should be dis-seminated not only to the pro-fessional audience but also to theAsian American/Pacific Islandercommunities through more pop-ular media.

IMPLICATIONSIn the provision of services to Asian

A m e r i c a n s / Pacific Islanders, theguidelines established by theAmerican Ps ychological Association

should be applied (see APA Office ofEthnic Minority Affairs, 1993,Guidelines for providers of psyc h o l o g-ical services to ethnic, linguistic, andculturally diverse populations.American Ps ychologist, 48,4 5 - 4 8 ) .In t e rventions should be guided by theoutcomes of culturally valid re s e a rc hfindings. This means that morere s e a rch needs to be conducted onAsian Americans/Pacific Is l a n d e r s .Re s e a rch on the rates and distributionof mental disorders, stressors, and sys-tems should be studied. Fu n d i n gs o u rces should be made aware of thei m p o rtance of Asian American/Pa c i f i cIslander re s e a rch. Re s e a rch on a smallpopulation is often expensive, becauseof complexities in sampling andre c ruitment of participants inre s e a rch. T h e re f o re, sufficient fundsshould be provided to allow rigoro u sre s e a rch to be conducted on AsianA m e r i c a n s / Pacific Is l a n d e r s .

With respect to training, studentsand research psychologists should beexposed to research on AsianAmericans/Pacific Islanders as well asmembers of other ethnic minoritygroups. This can be accomplished byinclusion of literature on AsianAmericans/Pacific Islanders in highereducation course curricula, the devel-opment of courses that focus on AsianAmericans/Pacific Islanders and otherethnic groups, and exposure to work-shops and lecturers who are knowl-edgeable about AsianAmericans/Pacific Islanders. Attemptsshould be made to recruit and haveavailable Asian Americans/PacificIslanders as fellow students and col-leagues, faculty, clinical and researchsupervisors, as well as to work withAsian Americans/Pacific Islandersclients and communities.

In t roduction and Ba c k g ro u n d

At the close of the 20th century in the

We s t e rn i zed world, the value for and appre c i a t i o n

of persons of African descent and their cultura l

heritage remains most problematic and is yet to be

fully informed. One of the most critical issues facing

the science and profession of psyc h o l o gy as we enter

the second millennium of the West is how to addre s s

the cultural, historical, economic, and social factors

that influence conceptions of human beingness,

f e a t u res of human functioning, and methods for

restoring healthy order to humans throughout the

w o rld. Issues of race, which cannot be separa t e d

f rom culture and history, continue to challenge our

h u m a n i t y. Historical re c o rds, along with

a rcheological, anthropological, and biogenetic

evidence, confirm that Black African people are the

mothers and fathers of humanity. The authenticity

of African people is related to their sense of being

one with the Creator and with the creations of the

Cre a t o r. Balance in nature and social harm o n y

we re the hallmarks of African lifestyles. African

people developed and maintained civilizations

comprised of complex social and economic systems,

which enhanced the perpetuation of moral, ethical,

and valued lives within the context of

communalism. African people are united thro u g h

c u l t u re, history, language, and psyc h o l o gy. We use

the term “persons of African descent”

i n t e rchangeably with “Bl a c k” to emphasize the

c u l t u ral [African] and historical [i.e., slave ry and

o p p ression] roots of being Black [in the Un i t e d

States] because the term has been so exc l u s i ve l y

identified with race devoid of the contextual factors

of culture and history.

The history of people of African descent in

America has been harsh. During the enslave m e n t

period marking the beginning of the African

Holocaust, Africans we re seve rely punished for

making efforts to maintain observable aspects of

their culture via sacred rites and rituals, language,

systems of organization, diet, and health pra c t i c e s .

The collective, though a heterogeneous gro u p ,

continues to suffer from the multigenera t i o n a l

t rauma caused by the sustained oppression imposed

individually and collectively within the larger

social context, which has historically re g a rd e d

persons of African descent as less than human and

remains one within which the fight for equality of

o p p o rtunity for the collective is on-going.

This document is for those committed to the

health and uplifting of all humankind and

p romotion of the understanding of African people

t h roughout the Diaspora and continent thro u g h

c o n s t ru c t i ve approaches to re s e a rch that will

enhance our psychological and general we l l - b e i n g .

In order to support an agenda of good science, the

f o l l owing guidelines are offered based on know l e d g e

of the history and experience of African people in

America, as well as an understanding of the

w o rkings of the American educational, health care ,

political, economic, and other social institutions

and systems. Our aim is to move beyond the curre n t

a p p roach to multiculturalism in which powe r

relations between the “o b j e c t i ve” scholar (theorist,

re s e a rc h e r, practitioner) and the subject matter (the

c u l t u ral others) yields the outcome of “u s” trying to

understand “t h e m” so that “t h e y” can be better

s e rved by “u s .” Our altern a t i ve stra t e gy support s

that “I” better understand “m y s e l f” with all of the

d i versity markers I inhere and understand their

relationship to the social context within which I

find myself, so that I can bring to the re s e a rc h

setting a human being more fully conscious of

her/himself and the meanings she/he assigns to the

reality cre a t e d .

This document is for those commit-ted to the health and upliftment

of all humankind and promotion ofthe understanding of African peoplet h roughout the diaspora and continentt h rough constru c t i ve approaches tore s e a rch that will enhance our psyc h o-logical and general well-being. To sup-p o rt an agenda of good science, the fol-l owing guidelines are offered based onk n owledge of the history and experi-ence of African people in America, aswell as an understanding of the work-ings of the American educational,health care, political, economic, andother social institutions and systems.

Prepared by Linda James Myers, PhD,

Samella Abdullah, PhD, and George Leary, MA,

Association of Black Psychologists

CONDUCTING RESEARCH WITH PERSONS OF AFRICAN DESCENT*

GENERAL ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION

Underlying assumptions

C o n t r a ry to the pre vailing assump-tions in the United States, the intere l a t-edness and interdependence of popularsocial, economic, and political posi-tions and the pedantry of psyc h o l o g yand social science re s e a rch have beenwell demonstrated. For example, to theextent a society historically condonedthe dehumanization of a people, aneconomic system that supported theire n s l a vement, a political system thatgranted them no rights, and a healthc a re system that labeled them insaneshould they try to escape their enslave-ment, the nature and perva s i veness ofthe mindset that adopted or part i c i p a t-ed in any of those positions can be pre-dicted. To the extent vestiges of theunderlying assumptions of that mind-set continue to be widespread in thesociety and an integral part of thes t ru c t u re of its institutions, coro l l a ryrelationships can be charted over timea c ross the generations. Without thei n c reased self-knowledge of thosei n vo l ved, the status quo of disparity isbound to be perpetuated. The subjec-t i ve nature of consciousness and thesocial construction of reality prov i d epoints of re f e rence which conve r g ea c ross cultural groups, from We s t e r nscience to Eastern and African psy-chologies, each making evident thenecessity of self-knowledge. Know l e d g eof self is desirable for the meaningf u lstudy of all people and requisite, alongwith self-disclosure, for the study ofpersons acknowledging Africandescent, because of the perva s i ve natureof the mindset of racism and its impacton Black people.

Demographic context

More than 34 million persons ofAfrican descent live in the UnitedStates. We are a diverse group. Manyof us are the descendants of enslaved

Africans who built America withoutcompensation, subjected to a chattelsystem of slavery. Some of us came tothe United States later, as immigrantsfrom colonized countries throughoutthe diaspora. Level of assimilation,acculturation, socioeconomic status,access to education, language use, per-sonality, cognitive ability, and survivalacuity are some of the many areas inwhich this heterogeneous group willshow variability, as do all humanbeings. The study of African people isimportant because a complete under-standing of humanity requires it andso many of their needs still go unrec-ognized. In addition, not muchresearch acknowledging the complexi-ties and incongruent cultural realitieshas been conducted, and, generally,research has involved theories devel-oped largely on European/Europeandescent populations. While it cannotbe assumed that all persons of Africandescent experience their environmentin the same way, outlined below aresome of the critical issues to beaddressed when conducting researchwith African people.

Race/ethnicity

People of African descent have beencategorized as Negroid, or Black, interms of race. However the concept ofrace is very arbitrary and typicallyhierarchical in application. Whiteracism in America fosters belief inWhite superiority and a practice ofsystematic oppression of people ofcolor based primarily on the pigmen-tation of their skin. The people ofAfrican descent having the greatestintensity of color are excessively stereo-typed and are often victims of consid-erable discrimination. This society hashistorically utilized various rules tolegislate racial identification. Forexample, initially, the “one drop rule”was applied, whereby anyone whoseancestry included Black people could

be identified as Black. Today, such per-sons might be referred to as biracial.Often, people previously designated byWhite society as Black were of mixedparentage and conceivably conflictedin their racial identity, as most peoplewould become under the rigors ofWhite supremacy. Members of thisgroup have sometimes been identifiedby the mainstream society to representand speak for the African collective,without benefit of experiencing thefull richness of the Black experience.By the same token, for other individu-als, biracial ancestry may have affordedthe opportunity to interrogate morefully and experience more deeply anappreciation of the richness of ourBlack heritage. Many factors cometogether to determine race and racialidentity. Therefore, research involvingrace as a variable should be consideredin the context of these kinds of histori-cal realities.

Sociocultural factors affecting performance

Issues of race and culture must beconsidered when examining variablesthat are potentially sensitive to eco-nomic and educational disenfranchise-ment, such as school performance,academic achievement, measures ofcognitive functioning, predictablebehavioral outcomes, and other fac-tors. Researchers should be familiarwith and sensitive to the dimensionsof race, African/African American cul-tures, cultures of oppression, poverty,and racism.

Communication and language

Researchers should learn to under-stand and respect the language andcommunication styles of personsacknowledging African descent. Thepropensity to regard Ebonics as poorstandard English or as an expressivestyle of communication or as too emo-tional or as evidence of poor self-con-trol can only be corrected with

increased education and movementbeyond a monocultural perspectiveand awareness. The multiple linguisticstyles and languages found amongpeople acknowledging African descentmay require that research concepts betranslated by a bicultural/bilingualtranslator. Back-translation by a sec-ond expert from the second languageto first will help ensure that conceptu-al constructs serve the same purpose indifferent cultures.

METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES,ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES, ANDCONSIDERATIONSA social macrosystem of an alien and

hostile nature due to discrimination,prejudice, stereotyping, and, ultimate-ly, racism, leaves persons of Africandescent empirically and anecdotallymisrepresented.

Not including culturally congru e n torientations invalidates re s e a rc h .Re s e a rch must include participation ofa p p ropriate culturally grounded Africani n vestigators or collaborators in order tosubstantiate an “insider’s” view.

Pan-Africanism should not be avoid-ed if care has been taken to develop anunderstanding of the dynamics foster-ing or decreasing its applicability.Study on various levels—as humanbeings, as Africans of the continent orof the Diaspora, as well as individualdifferences (level of acculturation, lan-guage skills, ethnic identity)—can bevaluable.

Cultural competence in research isestablished through supervised train-ing and experience. Potentialresearchers must ask themselves if theytruly are culturally competent andmust be so validated by a panel of cul-turally proficient African Americanresearchers. To conduct research withinternal and external validity,

researchers must have received trainingin African psychology, multidimen-sional transformative learning, enlight-ened race relations, and other areas ofrelevance as designated by theAssociation of Black Psychologists.

RESEARCH DESIGN/QUESTIONSSeveral questions should be

addressed when conceptualizing astudy with persons of African descent:What are the background and experi-ence of the researcher, and what biasesdoes s/he bring to the study? Is theresearcher culturally competent? Whatis the motivation for the research?What is being hypothesized and why?Why are persons of African descent tobe used as subjects? What impact isthe study going to have on the Africandescent community? Is the researchquestion/hypothesis culturally rele-vant, sensitive, and appropriate?

Is there cross-cultural equiva l e n c ein the re s e a rch idea or topic in termsof cultural interpretation? Will therebe metric equivalence? In otherw o rds will analysis of the same con-cept and same measure across cul-t u res yield the same assumptionssuch that the scale of measures canbe directly compared with va l i d i t y(e.g., will a score of 100 on personal-ity measure have the same meaninga c ross cultures)? When conceptualiz-ing the re s e a rch, will cultural factorsand the re s e a rc h e r’s background betaken into consideration, and will ane x p e rt in the area or a culturalinformant be used?

Cultural sensitivity/appropriateness with

measures and instrument selection

The following issues in terms ofadequacy of measures and test deve l-opment must be addressed: W h a ta p p roach to the study is to be used,and is a cultural congruent focusg roup to be used in item generation

or prototype development? What arethe choices of measures, and are somem o re re l e vant and/or congruent thanothers? Has there been standard i z a-tion of the measures on the popula-tion in question? On how many per-sons of African descent was the testnormed, from which groups, fro mwhich socioeconomic backgro u n d s ?Has biculturalism been taken intoaccount? Does the test have va l i d i t yand reliability with subjects of Africandescent? Should multiple measures ormultimethod pro c e d u res be used tosee if convergent results are prov i d e d ?Is the cultural background of the sub-ject or client understood well enoughto place results in the proper context?Has the aid of consultants, inform-ants, experts been utilized in order toinform the re s e a rcher of ethnicresponse sets or cultural factors thatmay affect interpretation, as well asthe re l e vance of the topic to the gro u pof targeted subjects and whether therea re topics that would be considere doff limits? Are the language usage andl e vel appropriate, easily understood,and reasonable in length? Can thei n s t ructions be conve yed in an under-standable manner?

Subject/participant selection

The following issues should beaddressed regarding subject/partici-pant selection: Why AfricanAmericans, why these AfricanAmericans, how will they benefit fromthe research? Has the research projectpassed a local human subjects or insti-tutional review board that has mem-bers from the population of focus onit? Is the sample to be representative ofthe group, community, or all AfricanAmerican people? Will limitationsattributed to sampling error be noted?Consider heterogeneity: Combininggroups may or may not be inappropri-ate. Are the issues being examinedthought to be characteristic of both

groups? Is the assumption of Pan-Africanism a goal or error? Has thedegree of impact of socioeconomicstanding, educational background,geographical, racial, and other issuesbeen given proper consideration? Ifcontrol group designs are to be used,are groups equivalent in all respects?Has sufficient consideration beengiven to the issue of biculturalism andlevels of acculturation to the extentperceptions of environmental stimuliand the processing of those stimuli canbe assumed equivalent?

Data analysis, interpretation,

and information dissemination

Culturally nonproficient researchersmust engage culturally proficientexperts in their research to reduce biasto a minimum and assure that theresearch results are meaningful inracial and cultural context in order toavoid producing additional biased, ifnot racist, research. Researchers shouldbe mindful of the following questionsand issues: Is there a culturally congru-ent theoretical basis for the research?Does the study have meaningful prac-tical and statistical significance? Hasthe usage of ANOVA-type analysisbeen too simplistic? Has use of thenull hypothesis been avoided? Is thevalidity of this research questionable,such that the hypothesis should beused as the basis for future study ver-sus conclusive evidence? In view ofdiversity of cultural backgrounds,should alternative explanations be con-sidered? Is the researcher familiar withsufficient literature on persons ofAfrican descent, particularly literaturethat is quite congruent culturally butmay not be considered mainstream?When drawing comparisons betweengroups, differences should not routine-ly be thought to reflect deviance orundesirable characteristics of Africans.Is a deficit model of interpretationbeing utilized? Have data collection

procedures been adequate and appro-priate? Were vital local contacts made,payment for participation explored,proper respect for elders, children, orofficials demonstrated? What is thereputation of cultural informants, ifused? Will the researcher’s relationshipwith the group change upon termina-tion of the study? How and for whomwill the research be published? Wherewill the findings be disseminated andin what form (special efforts should bemade to disseminate results to com-munities through popular media)?Who will own the rights to theresearch results? Who will really bene-fit from the research? Will theresearcher’s ethnicity be mentioned inthe research?

GENERAL GUIDELINES ANDIMPLICATIONS FOR TRAININGIn providing services to persons of

African descent, the guidelines estab-lished by the Association of BlackPsychologists should be applied.Interventions should be guided by theoutcomes of culturally valid research.Research on the nature, rates, and dis-tribution of mental disorders, stressorsand resources, effective, culturally con-gruent means of treatment and pre-vention, influences of a culture ofoppression, as well as government andcommunity support systems should bestudied. Funding sources should beinformed of the importance ofresearch on persons of African descent,allowing sufficient funds for rigorous,relevant research to be conducted.Funding sources should holdresearchers accountable for acquiringcultural competence in their researchthrough training, consultants, and/orevaluators.

Adherence to these guidelines willrequire that training for psychologistsand students be improved to ensurecultural competence and proficiency.

Training conducted by experts in thefield and focusing on persons ofAfrican descent should be mademandatory. Literature by culturallyproficient experts must be used so thatculturally congruent perspectives are present in graduate courses and con-tinuing education training programs.Recruitment and retention effortsmust be implemented to ensure thatsuch persons are a part of our faculties,student bodies, and activities engagingAfrican American communities. Ifsuch persons are not a part of the fac-ulty, experts certified and recommend-ed by the Association of BlackPsychologists should be engaged asconsultants and evaluators.

INTRODUCTION

The Hispanic population in theUnited States currently exceeds 29

million, re p resenting almost 11% ofthe U.S. population. Census estimatesindicate this rapidly growing group wille xceed 31 million by the year 2000( De y, 1996). Hispanics re p resent ane x t remely heterogeneous group withconsiderable variability in language use,c o g n i t i ve ability, academic achieve-ment, access to education, socioeco-nomic status, temperament, personali-t y, race, and level of acculturation.Despite this diversity across numero u svariables, language remains a commont h read that holds this large gro u pt o g e t h e r. In fact, a re p o rt issued by theU.S. Census (1990) indicates that of allthe many languages spoken by limited-English proficient groups in the Un i t e dStates, Spanish is spoken by more than50% of these gro u p s .

UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS AND HYPOTHESESAlthough most Hispanics in the

United States share a common lan-guage, individuals’ facility and fluiditywith the Spanish language may varywidely. It cannot be assumed that allHispanic-surnamed individuals areSpanish-speaking or that they considerthemselves to be Hispanic. Similarly, itcannot be assumed that non-Hispanicsurnamed individuals are not Hispanicand do not speak Spanish.

Fu rt h e r m o re, it cannot be assumedthat Hispanics experience their envi-ronment in the same manner as non-Hispanics. The manner in whichHispanics experience their enviro n -ment often depends on whether theyp e rc e i ve themselves as belonging tothe minority or the majority gro u p.For example, Hispanics in Chile mayexperience psychological phenomena

ve ry differently than Chileans in theUnited St a t e s .

METHODOLOGICAL AND SAMPLING ISSUESIn spite of a perception of incre a s e d

attention to Hispanic issues within thep s ychological community, numero u smethodological and sampling issues con-tinue to be ignored and remain unad-d ressed. The subsequent brief descriptionof issues is not exhaustive and is simplyintended to alert both novice and experi-enced re s e a rchers to the potential pitfallsassociated with conducting re s e a rch withHispanic populations.

Race/ethnicity. When conductingresearch with Hispanics, it is impor-tant to describe the sample as accurate-ly as possible. For example, withrespect to race, Mexican Americansmay range from nearly pureMongoloid, i.e., Indian, to nearly pureCaucasian. Similarly, Puerto Ricansand Cubans may range from nearlypure Negroid to nearly pureCaucasian. However, both of thesegroups often are described in theresearch literature as Latino orHispanic. It also is important to notethat in some instances ethnicity orcountry of origin rather than race maybe the variable of interest.

Sociocultural factors affecting perform-ance—issues of poverty and class.Poverty, social history, and/or previousexperiences rather than race or ethnici-ty, may be better predictors of vari-ables such as academic achievement,cognitive functioning, or a propensityfor violence. Therefore, researchersmust differentiate between the impactof social economic status (SES), eth-nicity/race, or other potential con-founding variables on the variables ofinterest.

Prepared by Maryann Santos de Barona, PhD,

and Andrés Barona, PhD, National Hispanic Psychological Association

A MODEL FOR CONDUCTING RESEARCH WITH HISPANICS

Language.It is important to deter-mine the level of language(English/Spanish) that the subjectsand researchers possess as well as therequired level of fluency(English/Spanish) necessary to partici-pate in or conduct research.

Reading ability/educational back-g ro u n d .Hispanics va ry widely in theireducational backgrounds. It cannot beassumed that any given Hispanic samplewill be homogeneous with respect top a rt i c i p a n t s’ ability to read English orSpanish. T h e re f o re, re s e a rchers shoulddetermine both language dominanceand reading skills if the re s e a rch re q u i re spaper and pencil tasks. Re s e a rchers alsoshould note that Hi s p a n i c s’ ability tocommunicate verbally in English mightnot reflect their English or Spanish re a d-ing or writing abilities.

Adequacy of measures. Many curre n tp s ychological instruments, rangingf rom measures of cognitive function-ing to personality assessment, lackadequate information about thenorming sample used and often gro s s-ly underre p resent Hispanics in theirs t a n d a rdization sample. Issues ofvalidity and reliability typically arenot addressed for Hispanic popula-tions. Re s e a rchers should ensure thatthe measures used have been prove nto be reliable and valid for the popula-tion under investigation or shouldestablish their efficacy for the use ofsuch measures during their own inve s-t i g a t i o n .

Use of translations/translators.Translated measures must be evaluatedto ensure the continued validity of the instrument. Back-translation,which involves having one bilingualindividual translate a document andthen having a second bilingual indi-vidual translate the document back to the original language, should be

used to determine the accuracy of the translated material. Researchersmust be confident that item difficultyof the instrument has not been affect-ed and that constructs remain salientacross translations. If translators are used, care should be taken toensure communicative competenceand accuracy. Translators should befamiliar with psychological terminolo-gy and be able to appropriately com-municate the strength and power ofverbal statements.

Acculturation. When conductingresearch with Hispanics, researchersshould be aware of and describe theirsample in terms of level of accultura-tion. For example, second generationNew Yorkers may be much moreacculturated to the U.S. mainstreamthan recent agricultural Mexicanimmigrants may. Any number of varia-tions may apply in terms of level ofacculturation.

Beliefs.Belief systems in theHispanic culture often are associatedwith socioeconomic class and religion.Researchers are encouraged to beginexploring these important variablesand to establish adequate research con-trols when doing so.

Fa i l u re to consider altern a t i ve i n t e r p re t a t i o n s .Hi s t o r i c a l l y, much ofthe Hispanic re s e a rch conducted inthe United States has been based onethnocentric perspectives and stere o-types. For example, early re s e a rc hsuggested that violence amongHispanics was due to deviant beliefsand values when compared to then o r m a t i ve values of the White mid-dle class. Si m i l a r l y, alcoholismamong Hispanics often has beenv i ewed from a machismo perspectiverather than from the multidimen-sional views applied to White popu-l a t i o n s .

Communication styles.Re s e a rc h e r sshould familiarize themselves with thevarious communication styles ofHispanic groups. Re s e a rch methodolo-gy should not be designed to penalizesamples for using nonverbal instead of verbal communication techniques orto misinterpret their intent when used.

REQUIRED SKILLSResearchers must:1. Be thoroughly grounded in an

understanding of variousHispanic cultures;

2. Understand that Hispanics va rywidely and that the re s u l t sobtained from working with oneg roup may not be re f l e c t i ve ofthe overall Hispanic population;

3. Possess considerable researchmethodology and researchdesign skills;

4. Ensure that those involved inworking with Hispanic subjectshave satisfactory Spanish lan-guage skills and an understand-ing of the culture;

5. Be open to alternative hypothe-ses and not be limited by ethno-centric perspectives;

6. Be open to input from ethnicminorities within and outsidetheir field of expertise to facili-tate a Hispanic ethnocentric per-spective to the interpretation ofthe research;

7. Be aware of and respect individu-a l s’ rights in maintaining stro n g ,p o s i t i ve ethnic identities; and

8. Be aware of how their own va l u e saffect the conduct of re s e a rc h .

In sum, researchers must rememberthat cross-cultural competence, likeany other skill, must be acquiredthrough didactic and supervised expe-riential training. Researchers lackingadequate training and experienceshould seek the assistance of Hispaniccolleagues or not conduct the research.

Additionally, researchers should becautioned against assuming thatHispanic graduate student assistantshave adequate research training andexperience.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TRAININGAND INTERVENTIONSStudents and colleagues often re s i s t

e f f o rts to be exposed to the nuances ofd i verse cultures. Perhaps the most diffi-cult part of training is sensitizing stu-dents and colleagues to the need tolearn how to conduct sound re s e a rc hwith and develop culturally appro p r i a t ei n t e rventions for minority populations.Gi ven that re s e a rch with Hi s p a n i cpopulations is methodologically quitecomplex, it is necessary that studentsbe exposed to re s e a rch paradigms thatincorporate critical ethnic (Hi s p a n i c )variables. A minimum of one 3-hourdidactic course and a 3-hour experien-tial course on re s e a rch and interve n-tions with Hispanics and/or otherminority populations should bere q u i red of all APA - a p p roved psyc h o l o-gy training pro g r a m s .

A MODEL FOR CONDUCTINGRESEARCH WITH HISPANICS

Stage One—Conceptualization of the Study

1. Define your population precise-ly. Define your population byrace/ethnicity, country of origin, level of acculturation,educational background, SES,and other salient variables.

2. Determine language ability.Determine levels of receptiveand expressive language fluencyin English and Spanish and theimplications of this informationfor your study. Will translatorsbe required? Will a translatedversion of the measures be used? Are adequate versions ofthe measures available? Doespsychometric evidence supporttheir use?

3. Determine level of acculturation.4. Determine variable(s) of interest.

Are the variable(s) salient cross-culturally? Or will the study begeneralizable to Hispanics only?

Stage Two—Methods/Procedures

5. Determine appropriate methodology.

6. Determine appropriate measure s .7. Take culturally sensitive steps to

ensure access to populations,i.e., address issues of communityentry and acceptance.

8. Understand that it may be necessary to begin with descrip-tive studies and build on themto more sophisticated researchdesigns.

9. Take steps to ensure adequatelanguage abilities of participantsand researchers.

10. Ensure that those involved with subjects, i.e., data collec-tion, intervention, and imple-mentation, have the necessarylanguage skills and can interactin a culturally appropriate manner.

Stage Three—Interpretation/Dissemination

11. Request reviews from ethnic andnonethnic minority colleagues.

12. Consider alternative interpretations.

13. Increase the mainstream researchoutlets for minority research.

REFERENCESDey, J. C. (1996). Population

projections of the United States byage, sex, race, and Hispanic origin:1995 to 2050. U.S. Bureau of theCensus, Current PopulationReports, P1125-1130. Washington,DC: U.S. Government PrintingOffice.

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

This document consists of a modelfor use by anyone intending to

conduct psychological research withAmerican Indian and Alaska Nativepeople. It is intended to apply to bothreservation and urban AmericanIndian communities as appropriate.The words and their intentions repre-sent the collective wisdom and experi-ence of many years of hard work byAmerican Indian and cross-culturallycompetent non-American-Indian psy-chologists. This model was unani-mously ratified by the full membershipof the Society of Indian Psychologistsat its annual meeting during June1997 at the Utah State UniversityCampus. This document is intendedto be informative in nature and toinform potential researchers of allnations of the kinds of questions,obstacles, challenges, and importantissues they must consider prior toengaging in psychological researchwith American Indian and AlaskaNative people. The issues presentedhere are intended to act as a generalmodel and are neither comprehensivenor entirely applicable to all tribes,clans, and family groups. Individualtribes, clans, family groups, or urbanIndian communities may have addi-tional requirements and issues requir-ing resolution prior to the initiation ofsuch research.

Many important issues are pre s e n t-ed as questions. The primary re a s o nfor this format is embedded withinthe notion that if a potentialre s e a rcher cannot answer the question,that re s e a rcher should either: (a) No tconduct the re s e a rch or (b) invo l vesomeone (preferably a local AmericanIndian psychologist) who can prov i d e

the appropriate amount of cro s s - c u l-tural competency to the project. T h i smodel is presented with the intentionthat responsible and appro p r i a t eAmerican Indian and Alaska Na t i vemental health re s e a rch is desperatelyneeded, is an appropriate pre c u r s o rt ow a rd establishing culturally appro-priate treatments and communityi n t e rventions, and is in the best inter-est of peoples of all nations.

GENERAL ISSUES FOR ANYONECONSIDERING CONDUCTINGRESEARCH WITH AMERICANINDIAN PARTICIPANTS1. American Indians have been

misrepresented for 500 years.Take this into account!

2. More than 600 federally andstate-recognized tribes exist inAmerica, each with its own dis-tinct oral history, tradition, andculture. Avoidance of unneces-sary Pan-Indianism is thereforeencouraged.

3. Not including tribal members orany American Indians in thed e velopment of the design,m e t h o d o l o g y, and informationdissemination of re s e a rch invo l v-ing American Indian part i c i p a n t sis a serious affront to those beingstudied and may ve ry well inva l i-date any re s e a rch “f i n d i n g s . ”

4. Cross-cultural competence inp s ychology training, re s e a rc h ,and treatment is as significantan area of professional expert i s eas any other (i.e., neuro p s yc h o l-o g y, pediatric, etc.).Competence is establishedt h rough supervised training andexperience. Pro s p e c t i ve non-American Indian mental healthre s e a rchers must ask themselve sif they truly have it.

Prepared by Justin D. McDonald, PhD,

Society of American indian Psychologists(May 1998)

A MODEL FOR CONDUCTING RESEARCHWITH AMERICAN AMERICAN INDIAN PARTICIPANTS

RESEARCH DESIGN/QUESTIONISSUES, QUESTIONS TO EXPECT,AND COMMENTS1. Why are you doing research

with American Indian subjects?The old lines about the databeing good for the populationbeing studied and for the goodof the field of psychology and“science,” etc., are no longergood enough. A researchershould have a well-consideredanswer. For example: “Manypeople are questioning whetheror not there are significant dif-ferences between diabetes pre-vention behaviors of your tribalmembers and non-tribal mem-bers living off the reservation.Having access to this data couldallow the tribe to develop dia-betes-prevention programsthrough the Indian HealthService, the State, or other fund-ing agencies. But we won’t knowfor sure until we have some dataresulting from careful, responsi-ble research.”

2. What impact, positive or nega-t i ve, is your study going to haveon this tribe/urban AmericanIndian community? Are thered i rect benefits or risks, such asfunding gain or loss, public re l a-tions (PR), or perceptual gains orlosses, such as re i n f o rcement of“American In d i a n” stere o t y p e s ?

3. Is the research question/hypoth-esis culturally relevant, sensitive,and appropriate? If the answer is“I don’t know”—quit, or get asignificant American Indianconsult. In essence, if the princi-pal investigator of a researchproject does not know theanswer to this question, he orshe is not cross-culturally com-petent enough to conduct theproject and should either dis-

continue it or involve otherswho can help.

METHODOLOGYISSUES/CONSIDERATIONS1. Instrumentation selection.This is

a sensitive/controversial topic inIndian Country. In general, onemust consider the appropriate-ness of using psychological teststhat lack sufficient standardiza-tion on or with AmericanIndians. Specific issues:

a. Test development issues(1) Authors: Who were the

authors? Were they cultural-ly competent?

(2) Item generation: Whatapproach was used? Was anAmerican Indian focusgroup used in the item-gen-eration or prototype devel-opment process?

(3) Standardization: On howmany American Indian sub-jects was this test normed?What tribes or urbanAmerican Indian communi-ties were represented andfrom what economic strata?Was subject biculturalismtaken into account?

b. PsychometricsWhich of the following havebeen statistically determinedfor using this test withAmerican Indian subjects?

(1) Validity (cultural, content, construct, criterion)

(2) Reliability (test-retest, inter-nal, alternate forms)

c. Cultural sensitivity/appropri-atenessSome subjects/topics are strict-ly off-limits or completely irrel-evant with some tribes or indi-viduals, while others are accept-able. Is your instrument suffi-ciently informed by/equipped

with this knowledge?d. Language usage/level

Is the language usage/levelappropriate for use with theproposed subjects? Mostinstruments are not. Manyexhibit reading levels andvocabulary that are either toohigh or difficult for bilingualspeakers.

e. LengthIs the instrument too long?Most are. If so, you will loseinformation and subjects.Many investigators make themistake of abusing theirresearch opportunity by pilingon multiple and lengthy instru-ments. Others are too preoccu-pied with the mindset thatmore items and multiple meas-ures will increase variance, sta-tistical robustness, and psycho-metric power. Although thismay be true, it also causesexcessively high subject mortal-ity among American Indiansubjects, either torpedoing theentire effort or forcing overre-liance upon the dangerouslysmall sample size that remains.Two suggestions: (1) Don’t begreedy, and (2) make brevityand conciseness high priorities.For example, if two potentialinstruments are equally usable,culturally appropriate, etc.,select the shorter of the two.

2. Subjects/participants. Followingare issues and questions aboutthe sample to consider prior toconducting the research effort.

a. Why American Indians, whythese American Indians, andhow will we benefit? Potentialresearchers need to have good,informed, respectful answers tothese questions if they wishpermission to proceed.

b. Local human subjects commit-tees/institutional reviewboards: Researchers shouldsecure permission from localtribal or urban AmericanIndian community humansubjects committees, tribalcouncils, cultural committees,tribal college research depart-ments, or another designatedagency/group for permission toproceed. Without permission,do not proceed!

c. Sample size issues(1) How many is “e n o u g h ? ”

Why? Be pre p a red for smallsample sizes, both statisticallyand logistically. Some tribesand urban American In d i a ncommunities only have oneor two thousand re s i d e n t sf rom which to draw a sample.

(2) Researchers should take thesmall size of the sample intoaccount in data interpreta-tion—use extreme care: It isimportant to consider thatresearchers may be dealingwith a population, and not asample. This idea is rein-forced by the concept thateach tribe is a distinct cul-tural and ethnic entity.

(3) Sample size: The populationis seldom all AmericanIndian people on this conti-nent (although it is conceiv-able that some Pan-Indiandesigns might be appropri-ate—as a rule of thumb,they are not). More com-monly, the population inquestion may indeed consistonly of the members of onetribe, and some tribes aresmall. Therefore, small sam-ple sizes in terms of numbersmay actually be high repre-sentation in terms of per-centage of available subjects

from a given population.d. Representation: Aside from

sample size, how adequatelydoes the sample represent theclan/family group, thetribe/community, and allAmerican Indian people?

(1) “Pan-Indianism”: Is thisyour goal, or a seriousdesign/methodological/interpretive error? Beinformed and have theanswer apriori.

(2) SES stratification: To whatdegree does SES affect yourdomain of study with theseAmerican Indian subjects?Have you considered “class”effects?

(3) Geographical re p re s e n t a t i o n( re s e rvation re s e a rch): So m eclans/family groups clustertogether in certain are a s .Many hold certain values andbeliefs that may va ry slightly,yet significantly, from that ofother clans or family gro u p swithin the same tribe. T h e s esubtle differences often trans-late into behavioral differ-ences. How will your studyaccount for these differe n c e sor similarities?

(4) Racial issues (i.e., bloodquantum): Race is never avalid predictor of anythingnonphysiological, particular-ly cultural and ethnic valuesand related behaviors.“Traditional” AmericanIndians are of many bloodquantum levels. Studies thatestablish race as a significantindependent variable cananticipate a great deal ofcontroversy and interpretivedifficulty, given the com-plexity and sensitivity of thisissue.

(5) Control or comparisongroup designs: If you areusing control groups, be surethey are equivalent in allrespects to your experimen-tal group. This is difficult todo, for most of the reasonsalready stated.

(6) Biculturalism/acculturationlevels: Study designs musttake bicultural competenceinto account. Reservationsand urban American Indiancommunities are diverse inmany ways, most notably inthe degree to which theirmembers are culturallyknowledgeable and practicedin the value systems, norms,and behaviors of both theirnative and the majority cul-tures. The degree of culturalcompetence in both oreither will significantly affectperception of environmentalstimuli, subsequent informa-tion processing of thosestimuli (including all thevalues, emotions, and beliefsthat go along with it), and,ultimately, behavior.

3. Procedures and related issues.a. Local contacts are vital.

Make sure you use the localtalent in collecting data,making contacts, etc., as re p-utation is eve rything inAmerican Indian communi-ties. Make sure your confed-erates/assistants have goodcontacts because this mayaffect subject part i c i p a t i o n .

b. Conduct data collection proce-dures in an appropriate way.(1) Respect: Show proper

respect to elders, children,physically and mentallyhandicapped people, andtribal officials.

(2) Payment for participation:Some participants, particu-larly those more traditionalparticipants, may be insultedby an offer of money fortheir participation, whichthey consider a sacred gift.Options: Offer tobacco,food, or other appropriategifts, or, offer instead todonate money to benefit thecommunity, such as to thelocal tribal college scholar-ship fund, etc.

(3) Relationship with theresearch group: How willyour relationship with thisgroup change upon termina-tion of the study? Most out-side researchers take the dataand are never heard fromagain. It is advisable to havea plan to return to presentyour data, put on a “give-away” (or other appropriateceremony), or do somethingelse to show your apprecia-tion and respect for what hasbeen given to you.

4. Data analysis. Are you analyzingyour data in meaningful andappropriate ways?a. Take statistical and practical

significance issues into accountfor data derived from AmericanIndian subjects.

b. Avoid simplistic ove ruse ofA N OVA-type analyses. Si m p l ed i f f e rences between gro u p s ,p a rticularly differences betwe e nAmerican Indians and non-American Indians, may bemeaningless and even harmful-ly misre p re s e n t a t i ve .

c. T h e o ry-based re s e a rch shouldbe employed whenever possible. This significantly aids statistical analyses andi n t e r p re t a t i o n .

d. The null hypothesis: Do not

reflexively shun the nullhypothesis. Sometimes ademonstration of no signifi-cant differences can be veryimportant, particularly incross-cultural study.

INFORMATION DISSEMINATIONW h e re and in what form will yo u

publish your results? Who is theintended audience? What will yo usay? Who is really going to benefit,p s yc h o l o g y, your subjects, or just yo u ?Can you keep the best interests ofyour American Indian subjects inmind when you answer these ques-tions and start writing?

Carefully consider these issuesbefore publishing any results fromstudies with American Indian subjectsbecause once in print it’s too late.Listen to your heart, mind, spirit, andthe spirits of your relatives and ances-tors and let them guide you.

INFORMATION ON THE MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS OF THECOUNCIL OF NATIONAL PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATIONS FOR THE

ADVANCEMENT OF ETHNIC MINORITY INTERESTS*

The Asian American PsychologicalAssociation was founded in 1971

by Asian mental health professionals inCalifornia. AAPA seeks to (1) advancethe welfare of Asian Americans byencouraging, assisting, and advocatingresearch on and service to AsianAmericans; (2) develop and apply the-ories of Asian American psychology,mental health, and cross-cultural com-petence; (3) conduct meetings, issuepublications and other educationalmaterials, and inform others ofsociopsychological issues facing AsianAmericans; and (4) perform otheractivities to further the advancementof Asian Americans in today’s society.

AAPA’s purpose is to:

1. Enhance the we l f a re of the AsianAmerican community through theapplication and development ofp s ychological theory and practice.

2. Advance psychology as a science.3. Strengthen the repertoire of skills

for those engaging in AsianAmerican psychological research,teaching, clinical service, policy,and theory.

4. Foster professional relationshipsamong psychologists with interests in Asian American psychology.

Gayle Y. Iwamasa, PhDPresident, AAPAUniversity of Indianapolis1400 E. Hannah AvenueIndianapolis, IN 46227(317) 788-6141 (Office)(317) 788-2120 (Fax)E-Mail: [email protected]

AAPA Office3003 North Central AvenueSuite 103-198Phoenix, AZ 85012(480) 230-4257 (Office)

Newsletter—The Asian AmericanPsychologistContact the AAPA office.

AAPA-Asian American

PsychologicalAssociation

*Year 2000 presidents and newsletter editors are listed.

The Association of Bl a c kPs ychologists was founded in Sa n

Francisco in 1968 in response to theneed to begin to address the study ofhuman behavior and the mental healthof people of African descent from a cul-tural grounding congruent with theexperiences and realities of the peoplet h e m s e l ves. The Association of Bl a c kPs ychologists was founded by thoseAfrican American psychologists whosaw the necessity of developing a psy-chology expanding beyond the mono-cultural awareness, comprehension, anda rticulation of Western psychology andits current theories, thus increasing ourunderstanding of human beingness.

The Association of BlackPsychologists is an international pro-fessional organization whose missionand commitment to advancing psy-chology as a science, profession, andmeans to promoting human welfarehas been reflected in its 25 year historyof publishing the Journal of BlackPsychology and its on-going, activeinvolvement promoting an improvedunderstanding of humanity and thenature and development of our poten-tials for human growth in the prevail-ing sociohistorical context, locally andglobally. The association has been inthe forefront of exploring and analyz-ing the interdependence of variousinstitutions within society (e.g., family,educational, legal, religious, and politi-cal) and their effect on persons ofAfrican descent, and the relationshipsbetween those institutions and thesocial realities they foster. ABPsi iscommitted to supporting humanstrength and resilience through the fol-lowing organizational goals:

1. Enhance the psychological well-being of Black people in Americaand throughout the world.

2. Promote constructive understand-ing of Black people through posi-tive approaches to research.

3. Develop an approach to psycholo-gy that is consistent with theexperience of Black people.

4. Define mental health in conso-nance with newly established psy-chological concepts and standardsregarding Black people.

5. Develop internal support systemsfor Black psychologists and stu-dents of psychology.

6. Develop policies for local, state,and national decision-makingwhich impact on the mentalhealth of the Black community.

7. Promote values and a life stylethat support our survival andwell-being as a race.

8. Support established Black organi-zations and aid in the develop-ment of new independent Blackinstitutions to enhance our psy-chological, educational, cultural,and economic situation.

Mawiyah Kambon, PhDPresident ABPsiP.O. Box 1256Wendell, NC 27591(919) 231-2109 (Office)(919) 212-2946 (Fax)

ABPsi OfficeP.O. Box 5599Washington, DC 20040(202) 722-0808 (Office)(202) 722-5941 (Fax)

Newsletter—Psych DiscourseEditor: Halford H. Fairchild, PhDE-Mail: [email protected]

Journal—The Journal of BlackPsychologyEditor-in-Chief: Ann Kathleen Burlew, PhDDepartment of PsychologyMail Location #376University of CincinnatiCincinnati, OH 45221(513) 556-5541

ABPSI-Association of Black

Psychologists

A t a conference of Hispanic psy-chologists convened at Lake

A r rowhead, CA, in November 1979,jointly sponsored by the Sp a n i s hSpeaking Mental Health Re s e a rc hCenter and the National Institute ofMental Health, it was agreed by thosep resent to constitute the Na t i o n a lHispanic Ps ychological Association. T h ebylaws of the association state that itspurpose is to:

1. Promote the development andunderstanding of psychologyfrom the perspective of Hispanicculture, to generate and advancescientific psychological knowledgeand foster its effective applicationfor the benefit of the Hispanicpopulations.

2. Promote training programs thatprepare Hispanic psychologistsand facilitate cooperation amongthem.

3. Increase the number of Hispanicpsychologists.

4. Promote and support the work ofHispanic psychologists and facili-tate cooperation among them.

5. Influence institutional policy atthe national, regional, state, andlocal levels of for the benefit ofHispanics.

6. Promote open communicationwith members of Hispanic com-munities at all levels for ourmutual education.

Andrés Barona, PhDPresident, NHPAArizona State UniversityCollege of EducationPsychology in EducationP.O. Box 0611Tempe, AZ 85287(480) 965-2920 (Office)(480) 965-0300 (Fax)E-Mail: [email protected]

Newsletter—El BoletínP.O. Box 85287-0611Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ 85287(480) 965-1352 (Office)(480) 820-7774 (Fax)

NHPA-National Hispanic

PsychologicalAssociation

The mission of the AmericanPsychological Association is

defined as “advancing psychology as ascience, profession, and as a means ofpromoting human welfare.”

The mission of the Society for thePsychological Study of EthnicMinority Issues reflects that of theAmerican Psychological Association.Specifically, the society serves as ameans to promote: the development ofknowledge and understanding of eth-nic minority psychology; the applica-tion of psychological principles specif-ic to ethnic minorities; considerationof how social concerns impact ethnicminority populations; and incorpora-tion of the importance of diversity insociety. In the spirit of promotingdiversity of the human experience, thesociety, in its policies and practices,will attend to the concerns of ethnicminorities with special sensitivity togender, sexual orientation, the physi-cally challenged, class, age, and reli-gion. In this society, ethnic minoritygroups (or people of color) includeAmerican American Indian/ AlaskanNatives, Asian Americans/ PacificIslanders, Black/African Americans,Latina/Latino/Hispanics within theUnited States.

The purpose of this organization is to:

1. Advance the contributions of psy-chology as a discipline in theunderstanding of issues related topeople of color through research,including the development ofappropriate research paradigms.

2. Promote the education and train-ing of psychologists in mattersregarding people of color, includ-ing the special issues relevant tothe service delivery issues relevantto ethnic minority populations.

3. Inform the general public ofresearch, education and training,and service delivery issues relevantto ethnic minority populations.

Joseph Trimble, PhDPresident, Division 45Center for Cross-Cultural ResearchDepartment of PsychologyWestern Washington UniversityBellingham, WA 98225-9089(360) 650-3058 (Office)(360) 650-6893 (Fax)E-Mail: [email protected]

Newsletter—FocusEditor: Candace M. Fleming, PhDUCHSC Psychiatry UNP AO11-134455 East 12th AvenueDenver, CO 80220(303) 315-9265 (Office)(303) 315-9577 (Fax)E-Mail: [email protected]

Journal—Cultural Diversity &Ethnic Minority PsychologyEditor-in-Chief: Lillian Comas-Díaz, PhDTranscultural Mental HealthInstitute1301 20th Street NWSuite 711Washington, DC 20036

DIVISION 45-Society for the

Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority

Issues

The aims and purposes of theSociety of Indian Psychologists

(SIP) include but are not limited tothe operation of a national bodyorganized for nonprofit, charitable,and professional purposes; to providean organization for American Indianand Native people who are vitally con-cerned with improving the mentalwell-being of their people; to create,through an exchange of skill, expertiseand experiences, opportunities forcareer development, positive inter- andintrapersonal relationships, and gener-al personal enhancement of AmericanIndian and Native peoples; to encour-age all American Indian and Nativepeople to become involved in improv-ing the quality of their lives.

Carolyn Barcus, EdDPresident, SIPUtah State University2810 Old Main HillLogan, UT 84322-2810(435) 797-1465 (Office)(435) 797-1448 (Fax)E-Mail: [email protected]

Newsletter—Newsletter of the Societyof American Indian PsychologistsEditor: Patricia Alexandra, PhDDepartment of PsychologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwater, OK 74078(405) 744-7591 (Office)(405) 744-8067 (Fax)E-Mail: [email protected]

SIP-Society of Indian

Psychologists

The American PsychologicalAssociation (APA), founded in

1892, is the largest scientific and pro-fessional organization representingpsychology in the United States and isthe world’s largest association of psy-chologists. APA’s membership includesmore than 159,000 researchers, educa-tors, clinicians, consultants, and stu-dents, of whom more than 5,000 arepersons of color who constitute thelargest organized group of behavioralscientists of color in the world.Through its divisions in 52 subfieldsof psychology and affiliations with 59state, territorial and Canadian provin-cial associations, APA works toadvance psychology as a science, as aprofession, and as a means of promot-ing human welfare.

Patrick DeLeon, PhDPresident, APA750 First Street, N.E.Washington, DC 20002-4242(202) 336-5500 (Office)(202) 336-6090 (Fax)

Henry Tomes, PhDExecutive DirectorPublic Interest Directorate750 First Street, N.E.Washington, DC 20002-4242(202) 336-5500 (Office)(202) 336-6090 (Fax)

Bertha G. Holliday, PhDAlberto Figueroa-García, MBAStaff Liasons to CNPAAEMIOffice of Ethnic Minority Affairs(OEMA)750 First Street, N.E.Washington, DC 20002-4242(202) 336-6029 (Office)(202) 336-6040 (Fax)E-Mail: [email protected]

[email protected]

Newsletter—The OEMACommuniquéEditors: Alberto Figueroa-Garcíaand Bertha HollidaySee contact information above.

APA-American Psychological

Association