A Clinical Science Guide for Reviewing the Cross-Cultural Rigor of Assessments in an Alcohol Training Clinic

• Published in: Psychological services 2024-05, Vol.21 (2), p.305-316
• Main Authors: Hernandez-Vallant, Alexandra, Votaw, Victoria R., Herron, Jalene L., Stein, Elena R., Swan, Julia E., Ulrich, Devin M., Blackwell, Meredith A., McCrady, Barbara S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictions; Alcohol; Alcohol Treatment; Alcohol use; Alcohol Use Disorder; Alcoholism - diagnosis; Alcoholism - ethnology; Alcoholism - therapy; American Indians; Clinical psychology; Clinical training; Clinics; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Cultural equivalence; Culturally Competent Care - standards; Ethnicity; Evaluation; Evidence-based medicine; Evidence-Based Practice - standards; Graduate studies; Help seeking behavior; Human; Humans; Indigenous peoples; Measurement; Measurement Invariance; Psychological Assessment; Psychology, Clinical - education; Psychology, Clinical - standards; Psychometrics - standards; Quantitative psychology; Race; Substance abuse treatment; Test Battery; Training
• ISSN: 1541-1559; 1939-148X; 1939-148X
• DOI: 10.1037/ser0000738

A standard component of service delivery in alcohol treatment clinics is evidence-based assessment (EBA). Although EBA is essential for selecting appropriate treatment modalities for alcohol use and associated problems, there are limitations in existing EBAs concerning evidence of cultural equivalence and utility among individuals seeking alcohol treatment. However, training in EBA, addictions, and clinical applications with diverse populations all are gaps in clinical training in doctoral programs in clinical psychology. The present work used the clinical science model to review the psychometric properties, cross-cultural utility, and measurement invariance of measures in an assessment battery used in an alcohol treatment training clinic. This article describes the results of that review, recommendations for retaining or replacing common assessment measures used in alcohol treatment clinics, and recommendations for alcohol treatment clinics interested in engaging in similar processes. Findings suggested that more research is needed to evaluate the psychometric properties of EBAs utilized in an alcohol treatment assessment battery, particularly among American Indian and Alaska Native people, and to test measurement invariance across race/ethnicity and other identity groups in alcohol treatment-seeking populations. Overall, routine reviews of cultural relevance are needed in clinical settings to stay current with the emerging literature. Impact Statement This article uses the clinical science model to review the cultural rigor of an alcohol assessment battery used in an alcohol treatment clinic. Understanding that many existing assessments suffer from systemic bias due to inadequate attention to cultural equivalence and ecological validity, this review provides multiple recommendations for improving the cultural appropriateness of general and alcohol-specific measures.