Psychological Assessments

According to Stutts (2014) Psychological assessment is the process of gathering information and data to make informed decisions, methods such as interviews, observing behaviour different settings and administering standardised test. During the 1960’s and 1970’s psychological assessments were misused in order to justify and support segregation in South Africa which was called Apartheid (Van De Vijver & Rothmann, 2004). After the year 1994 the apartheid era was demolished and the Employment Equity Act was implemented, this act stipulated that psychological assessments and tests are to be valid, reliable and unbiased (Van De Vijver & Rothmann, 2004). Being unbiased and ethical in a country with such a history and with as many cultures, languages

It many include language, race, culture, sexual orientation and religion (Washington, 2008). Due to the bias and unfair way psychological assessments were used during the apartheid era, testing has been a controversial issue in South Africa (Laher and Cockcroft, 2014). This means that psychological assessments need to fair and reliable for everyone living in South Africa, but with a country called a “rainbow nation” due to its many cultural groups, many languages and different traditions this is not simple (Patterson & Uys, 2005). A country with this much diversity and tragic history, means psychological practitioners need to ensure there are cross-culturally fair test (Patterson & Uys, 2005). As much as the tests need to be appropriate for all, it is also important that practitioners are capable of administering those tests (Patterson & Uys, 2005). Culture is a set of attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviours shared amongst a group of people, yet dissimilar for each individual, it can also be passed down from one generation to the next (Washington, 2008). Whether the psychological practitioners or researchers are from communities where there is no access to psychological services or have experience with all things psychology they all need to trained to be culturally aware and sensitive (Foxcroft, 2011). To ensure practitioners approach the

Not acknowledging diverse cultures and religious beliefs when setting the date and venue of these can have a negative impact on testing (Foxcroft, 2011). Certain traditions for ceremonial rituals or initiation events, and different religions might have holidays or the day might have some significance to that religious group (Foxcroft, 2011). This can cause them to be uncomfortable, disrespected or irritable during the test, in fact some not even go take the test, disrupting the validity and accuracy of the test (Washington, 2008). Psychological assessment dates are instead selected to suit the psychological assessment practitioner but as part of their responsibility to the client and to the test, to ensure they accommodate the test-takers needs even when it comes to venues and dates too (Washington,