Effectiveness of Personality Tests on Indigenous People Essay Example for Free

Effectiveness of Personality Tests on Indigenous People Essay Abstract This review seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the standard personality tests on indigenous people. The two indigenous groups focused on are Native Americans and Aboriginal Australians. Several academic sources have been researched when creating this review. What was surprisingly discovered was the overwhelming evidence that presented a bias point of view outlining mainly the inappropriateness of personality tests. Introduction The term ‘inappropriate’ is universally defined as â€Å"not suitable or proper in the circumstances† (Brown, Robert T.;Reynolds 1999). Most standard personality tests among researchers are considered to be inappropriate for use with Aboriginal people in Australia and for Native Americans in the USA. (Brown, Robert T. ;Reynolds 1999). The following psychological assessment tests can be generally misleading to indigenous Australians and Native Americans which include: MMPI-2 (Abel 1973), The Westerman Aboriginal Checklist—Youth (WASC-Y), DSM IV-TR, ICD10, the ‘Who Am I’ test and the High school adolescent Clinical Inventory(Westerman 1997). Indigenous Austrlian – Test Review. The Australian Psychological Society has set guidelines for the conduct of psychological research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia. One of which outlines that psychologists should take into account ethnicity and culture when making professional judgements with indigenous clients (N. D 1995). However, Tracy Westerman, psychologist and Managing Director of Indigenous Psychological Services(IPS) says the standard personality tests in Australia are subject to cultural bias and are a key reason why the tests are considered inappropriate for indigenous Australians(Westerman 1997). Consequently, indigenous Australians are unfairly penalized as they don’t experience the same culture as the dominant society (Westerman 1997). As a result, these indigenous Australians are inaccurately assessed which leads to an inaccurate diagnostic decision (Vicary 2003). One way personality tests are considered inappropriate for indigenous Australians are the content provided within the tests. The test content may have high cultural loading, in which a given test requires specific knowledge or experience with mainstream culture (Vicary 2003). For example, certain phrases or words used in certain tests are a disadvantage indigenous Australians. The meaning or unfamiliarity of the terminology used presents problems with the validity of such tests such as misinterpretation (Vicary 2003). For example, Westernman explains that a â€Å"suicide does not mean that someone has killed themselves† in the Aboriginal community. It means that they were cursed (Vicary 2003). Aboriginal people also do not speak English as a native language and therefore will have difficulty comprehending the wording of the test. For those reasons mentioned, MMPI-2 has been criticized by psychologists for its validity when examining diverse cultural groups(Wettinger, M). Westerman Wettinger (1997) state that the norms of testing indigenous Australians ‘have been described as out-dated’ and need to be replaced. Westerman has pointed out that a more practical approach should be undertaken when assessing aboriginal people as it is culturally acceptable for Aboriginal people to learn verbally(Westerman 1997). For example, when working with aboriginal children, oral tests and drawings are a useful means of testing as they allow children to tell stories. This is a culturally acceptable way for Aboriginal children pass on information and important messages. The Westerman Aboriginal checklist – Youth(WASC-Y) has implemented more effective methods of testing indigenous Australians. The WASC-Y is aimed at identifying early detection of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and suicidal behaviours for Aboriginal youths aged 13-17 (Pearson 2010). A prominent strength of the test is it does not require written competencies or numeracy skills, and is orally administered (Pearson 2010). Only an experienced psychologist who is skilled in dealing with indigenous Australians can administer the test(Pearson 2010). Although the WASC-Y has been claimed to be reliable when used to assess applicants for job positions or training programmes, companies are not enforced to use this test which is a barrier for indigenous Australians(Pearson 2010) Another major issue when considering the appropriateness of personality tests is examining whether or not the professional clinicians conducting the tests are â€Å"cross culturally competent†( Riggs, D 2004). The lack of cultural competence in past practice has been a contributing factor to the overall failure of systems of care for Aboriginal and Torres Islander Strait people (Brown, 2001; Garvey, 2007; Riggs, 2004). When utilizing standard measures, clinicians confirm to assumptions that the client is similar to the standardized population(Riggs, D 2004). This assumption is inappropriate when assessing a client from an indigenous culture. For example, Aboriginal people may not be familiar with test taking skills performed by dominant society which may also contribute to their poor performance in the test(Riggs, D 2004). Not understanding the impact of the indigenous clients cultural background could lead to inaccurate results and analysis by the clinician. It is considered the responsibility of the clinician to learn as much as possible about the client’s culture and to acknowledge any biases or prejudices they may have about the clients ethnic group(Dudgeon, P 2010). Furthermore, it is also the clinician’s responsibility to understand any historical issues relevant to Aboriginal people which may impact their lack of motivation and performance when being tested. Factors which cause this impact may include poverty, unemployment and limited educational opportunities(Dudgeon, P 2010). During the meetings between the clinicians and their indigenous clients, the clinicians should establish rapport, respect, and a therapeutic relationship with their clients(Westerman 1997). Rapport and communication problems may also exist between the clinician and the indigenous client due to different cultural backgrounds. As a result, the difficulties in rapport and communication may slow down the Aboriginals client’s ability respond to test items (Vicary 2003). For example, Westerman (1997) states that traditional psychological testing using the â€Å"question and answer† format in one on one situations presents difficulties amongst indigenous children and adults(Westerman 1997). This is because in some Aboriginal cultures, it is considered impolite to ask a question to someone who doesn’t know the answer (Westerman 1997). It is also beneficial to build rapport with indigenous clients to eliminate the ‘notion of whiteness’(Riggs 2004). This is the skeptisicm that may arise in the Aboriginal community due to the past actions of dominant society which may include taking of land or the stolen generation. Aboriginal clients may have a possible barrier of distrust toward the clinician which may be a apparent in the aboriginal community. This level of distrust may stem from any negative experiences the Aboriginal client has experienced in dominant society such as racism in their residential school or community(Riggs 2004). Indigenous American – Test Review Personality assessment services have also been considered culturally inappropriate for Native Americans living in the United States(Brown, Robert T. ;Reynolds, Cecil R. ;Whitaker, Jean S 1999). These assessments include globally recognized tests such as the MMPI and WAIS. Native Americans are said to face potential bias stemming from inappropriate test content, differential predictive validity, and bias introduced by language differences and social consequences due to labelling and prejudice (kaufman and Renolds 1983). A lack of knowledge for both the Native client and clinician increases the difficulties in finding a reliable accurate outcome of an assessment(Fuchs, D. , Young 2006). Clinicians are accused of not having enough historical knowledge about Native Americans while at the same time they assume that their Native American clients are culturally aware of how Western society operates(Fuchs, D., Young 2006). This assumption will cause difficulties for the clinician to assess a person from another culture with fairness and objectivity(Fuchs, D. , Young 2006). Psychologists in the USA have emphasised on an emic approach towards assessing Native Americans(Fuchs, D. , Young 2006). This means that only psychologists who specialize in studying and examining one particular culture would be allowed to assess that culture. It is agreed the assessor needs to build solid relationship with Native American clients while conducting an assessment(Abel 1973). This will help shape the clients expectations for the assessment interaction and possible outcomes of assessment(Abel 1973). Native Americans are said to be motivated by human value and approval rather than bureaucratic protocol. This means that structured formal situations between the assessors and the Native American client can be perceived as gratuitous and annoying to the client(Abel 1973). The relationships should be informal, based on respect and understanding, and continuous overtime (Abel 1973). In conclusion, it is evident that a culture clash between indigenous and western cultures is a major issue when performing psychological tests. While most tests gathered in this review deems psychological testing to be inappropriate, there are other tests such as the WASC-Y that specialize in understanding clients from diverse cultures which would be deemed more appropriate for use. It is also important to consider how much funding is being placed by governing bodies to develop more appropriate assessments for indigenous people.

We Must Educate Everyone About Child Abuse :: Violence Against Children

Every year more than 3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States involving more than 6 million children. Very few people are aware of the severeness of child abuse. While some people choose to ignore it, many people are oblivious to the fact that is even exists. Unfortunately, because very few people know about the severity of the problem or do not know how to stop it, the cycle of violence will continue for generations to come. It is detrimental that the cycle stops and abused children do not grow up to be abusers. Many children are afraid to ask for help, they feel they will be hurt again or punished. It is so very important that children know it is necessary and right to seek help. Unfortunately, 90% of children abused are under the age of 12. That means that most of them are not even out of elementary school. The addition of child abuse education classes in elementary schools would provide knowledgeable information to every child about deal ing with child abuse. Education is a very key part to preventing the spread of violence. In order to really understand child abuse, it is important to know some of the main facts about child abuse. Iowa law actually defines six specific type of abuse. They are physical, emotional, sexual, denial of critical care, child prostitution, and drug exposure. Abuse happens to children of all ages and backgrounds, it affects all economic classes, races, ethnic and religious groups. It is estimated that a child is abused every 26 seconds in America. Abused children suffer emotional, social, and intellectual deficits that may be with them throughout their lives. Criminal and violent behavior, psychoses and psychiatric illness, drug and alcohol abuse, school and learning difficulties, and employment problems are all documented outcomes of child abuse. For these reasons as well as countless others, the need to stop this cycle is so very apparent. So why is more attention given to the effort of preventing child abuse? Here is one possible explanation to this question.

How Far the Press Should Be Free to Report

Discuss how far the press should be free to report what they want There are obvious reasons for restrictions on the freedom of the press. Many of these are to do with the fact that clearly there are many stories which are damaging to individuals and will have a negative effect on the life of a person or group of people. The argument that is often put forward that it is in the public interest to know what is going on and that secrets should not be kept from the public is a valid one, but there has to be a line drawn between the public interest and what the public are interested in.That line was not necessarily crossed in the publication of the photos of prince William, as it is not inconceivable that he might be the future king of England and therefore it can almost be seen as a warning of how it is and isn’t acceptable to behave for somebody in the public eye. Although there are occasions when the press report stories that they shouldn’t, it must be taken into account t hat newspapers organisations have to make money, and therefore they have to be able to write stories which will sell copies and, if they are not given that right, the general public could become bored by newspapers.The Sun’s dominance in the journalism world of Britain is all the evidence needed to prove that the public are not looking to be informed, but to be entertained, and the most entertaining stories are usually the sensational ones. Another reason why the press should not be restricted is that Britain is a democracy and so the people at the top of society should not have omnipotent powers over what can and cannot be reported to the public.If you look at the fascist dictatorships of the past, one of the greatest crimes has been the lack of freedom of speech and this is what oppresses people more than anything. I am not saying that this is a position which Britain is nearing, but we must bear in mind that one of the fundamental components of a democracy is the freedom o f speech, and as such you cannot justify taking this right away from anybody, whether they are talking to a friend or writing it in a newspaper.

Why Not Receive A Vaccine - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1794 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2019/08/07 Category Medicine Essay Level High school Tags: Vaccines Essay Did you like this example? Vaccines   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The invention of vaccines has impacted health care over the course of history by curing diseases, preventing sickness, and creating advancements in medical technology. Through their research, a numerous amount of scientists have contributed to the vaccinations we have today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the many diseases of the time was smallpox. Studies show that about five out of every fifteen people died from obtaining smallpox. The symptoms included a fever, severe pain, and a rash that was characterized by pustules. Most people who made it through the sickness were either left blind or had damage to the brain. As a matter of fact, the U.S. Army lost the Battle of Quebec because of this illness. Great Britains soldiers had been vaccinated, while the United States was not. The vaccine was introduced by a man named Edward Jenner in 1796, but the first person to actually use a vaccine was a farmer. His name was Benjamin Jerry and he vaccinated his family against smallpox in the 1774 epidemic. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Why Not Receive A Vaccine?" essay for you Create order   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A considerable amount of people did not have any defense against sickness in the mid- 19th century. There were instances when the disease was fatal and there was absolutely no cure to help the community. Vaccines had continued to improve as time went on. In 1882, Robert Koch created a vaccine for tubercle bacillus, otherwise known as tuberculosis. Louis Pasteur then generated another one from an infected rabbit brain in 1885. He took the material from the brain and transformed the substance into a vaccine. This vaccine was used to prevent against rabies and has been developed more efficiently since then.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the early twentieth century, vaccinations were still flourishing and eradicating even more diseases. Pertussis was another dangerous illness of the time. Studies show that 142, 271 cases were said to exist. There were no vaccinations to prevent it until 1930.   The vaccine provided relief to those who had the chance of getting infected with the disease. With the medical improvements of our modern time, there were only 15,632 cases in 2006, decreasing to about 20 cases now. In 1931, the tetanus toxoid, diphtheria toxoid, and pertussis vaccines were introduced, creating an even safer environment for the communities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Polio was a major sickness that also effected tons of people. Young children were easily infected with polio, hence the reason there were so many that died . Most did not even make it until the age of five without dying since there were no vaccinations. A vaccine was then created in 1969 by Albert Sabin. This vaccine helped tremendously with the population and increased the health of children all over the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   You may be asking, why does this matter when dealing with research? Well, without that these people, there would be no information or any of the techniques that we have today. These scientists led technology into a whole new perspective, influencing our health and safety through the invention of vaccinations. Without them, we probably would not be as healthy as we are now. Quite a few of us would be sick with a disease or even dead because of an illness. A handful of individuals question the safety of vaccines, saying that they can cause even bigger problems than there already is. Although, the whole point of having them is to ensure our health is great and to protect us from getting sick. Studies have shown that these injections do not directly give you a disease, its the side effects that occur because of receiving it. Everyone has a different immune system that may act more unusual compared to others. Whether the vaccine is dead or alive, pathogens are inserted into the body for the immune system to find a way to defend against these harmful viruses. Since 1924, more than 103 million cases of infectious diseases have been prevented because of these vaccinations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although vaccines have created a massive impact on our health, events have happened in which they did not work properly or even at all. Contaminations occurred that resulted in many deaths and other instances came about because of no vaccination at all. The Spanish flu was destructive to the bountiful amount of people it affected. As a matter of fact, in 1918, the Spanish flu killed a grand total of over fifty million people worldwide because of no vaccination. There was one called the BCG vaccine that helped fight against tuberculosis. This Bacillus Calmette-Guerin injection was given to hundreds of people in Germany. In 1929, over one hundred children died as a result of a contamination of the dose of BCG given in Lbeck, Germany. Another phenomenon was the plan of eradicating polio. In 1988, the World Health Assembly had a plan to completely eradicate polio by the year 2000. Unfortunately, that idea did not turn out as they planned and it has been exten ded since then. Different viruses infected the disease and caused it to have more development. The vaccines have been altered to hopefully help decrease the cases of polio each year.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Today, evaccinations are needed for a wide variety of things. They have improved dramatically over the centuries and continue to be enhanced as medical technology advances. Epidemiology has played a huge role in the prevention of disease. Through clinical trials, studies, and reports, scientists can help find ways to develop and alter vaccine according to the results of the experiments. In the United States, there are some laws that require the vaccination of children for school and public safety. For example, we all need certain shots when we turn a certain age to keep us healthy and to go to school. Individuals do argue that this is against civil rights and should not be tolerated, but if you think about it, the world without vaccinations would absolutely miserable. You probably would not even be able to go out in public without catching an illness. Since no one would be vaccinated, sickness would spread rapidly everywhere.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Studies show that without vaccination for measles, 2.6 million people would die each year. The population would slowly deteriorate over time, causing problems everywhere throughout the whole entire world. Other studies show that in 2012, there was more than 157,000 deaths because of measles. Receiving an immunization could have reduced this number to around 90,000. Between 2007 and 2014, 140,000 people became sick with a disease and 1,400 people died because of having no vaccination at all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Society argues that there are many risks and side effects because of immunizations. Yes, there can be both side effects and risks, but would you want to put your life in danger when there is actually something that was created to help you? Countless sicknesses and diseases have been eradicated all because of a simple injection of a dose of vaccine. The first ever to be eradicated was smallpox. It has been eliminated along with rinderpest because of vaccinations. This is how the polio epidemic has decreased over time. Prevention from the illness has created a healthy environment for those exposed to it. Hopefully in the near future, polio can be completely eradicated. There are around 6.6 million children each year that still die from infectious diseases that could be prevented through a vaccine. If they were to receive the help they need, widespread illnesses could become less of a problem and more eradications would hopefully result.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Human beings may think these injections are not monitored or maintained, but numerous organizations have been created to provide safety and watch for problems that may arise from vaccinations. One in particular is the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, also known as VAERS. This system regulates any effects that occur from the reports they obtain after a vaccine is administered. This commission also catches signals that may be the start of something new in a sickness or other disease. The World Health Organization keeps track of health around the globe and watches for potential hazards that may arise. Together with the United Nations Childrens Fund, they allowed vaccinations to become worldwide. These systems resulted in laws being put into effect for school environments. This is why we have to receive shots before even starting school.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Questions arise all the time about different situations that individuals think can result as part of getting a vaccination. According to the book Do Vaccines Cause That?!, common questions involve cancer, asthma, seizures, birth defects, and even damage to the immune system. In all cases, the vaccines do not cause any of these problems. Its the things people do or the reactions to the substance that occur. Some tend to overreact when thinking about getting an immunization. The only major problem that ever occurred with cancer was the SV40 virus when the vaccine was first introduced. This resulted in the formation of some tumors, but research never really found any evidence of actual cancer. Asthma has absolutely nothing to deal with the vaccines we receive. This can either be an inherited disorder or caused by the environment. In all of the instances listed, the only real way a reaction could occur is because of the vaccine itself or symptoms in your body . For example, if youre pregnant, doctors advise which immunizations you can and cannot receive during pregnancy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Medical technology has ameliorated immensely, changing the ways of health care over the centuries. Countless scientists have created wonderful works that can improve our society for the better. Although some problems occurred, vaccines still resulted in a decrease of illness and disease around the world. Organizations modernized and renovated the ways communities can receive immunizations around the globe. These same systems provide safety and prevent hazardous problems that may occur as a result of a poor vaccination. Studies and clinical trials continue to advance these vaccines for the safety and wellness of other people. If a disease changes or a virus occurs, scientists make sure the immunization is developed enough to defend against the new agent. Individuals may have questions because of other disorders that may seem to cooperate with vaccines, but the vaccines themselves do not cause the disorder. It is the symptoms that occur that spark societys interest in the ways vaccinations make things worse. Because of these advancements in science, we have a healthier and safer world to live in today. Why not receive a vaccine? Works Cited Greenwood, Brian. The contribution of vaccination to global health: past, present, and future.   The Royal Society Publishing. The Royal Society, 14 May 2014. Web. 11 November 2018. Lombard, Michel F., et al. A brief history on vaccines and vaccination. ResearchGate. ResearchGate, 2018. Web. 11 November 2018. Myers, M.D., Martin G., and Diego Pineda. Do Vaccines Cause That?! Galveston, Texas: Immunizations for Public Health, 2008. Print.   Rooney, Anne, and David Anthram. You Wouldnt Want to Live Without Vaccinations! Great Britain: The Salariya Book Company Ltd, 2015. Print. Stern, Alexandra, and Howard Merkel. The History of Vaccines And Immunization: Familiar Patterns, New Challenges. Health Affairs. Project Hope, May 2005. Web. 11 November 2018.