Sources of Bias in the CBCL for African Americans

描述（由申请人提供）：在高风险环境中长大的儿童，例如长期接触犯罪和暴力的贫困社区，特别容易出现行为和情感问题。在美国，少数民族状况与生活在这种高风险环境中的可能性之间经常发现相关性，这表明对少数民族儿童心理问题的评估尤为重要。然而，少数民族心理评估工具的有效性尚不清楚。总体而言，拟议的研究旨在通过采用项目反应理论分析来确定非洲裔美国儿童与欧洲美国儿童在项目和量表上的差异功能，从而检验儿童行为清单的文化有效性。具体来说，项目和测试的差异功能（DFIT）框架将用于对快速通道数据进行二次分析，以评估非裔美国人和欧美儿童的测量偏差。使用分层线性模型的混合模型方法，背景因素（例如社会经济地位、邻里关系、养育信仰和价值观）将与表现出显着偏差的特征的测量偏差相关，以确定可能构成非洲裔美国人与欧洲裔美国人差异反应的生态因素。除了评估特定评估工具（CBCL）的文化有效性外，拟议项目将有助于加深我们对以下方面的理解：（a）非洲裔美国家庭的独特背景如何可能导致对哪些行为被视为有问题的不同概念，以及（b）对幼儿精神病理学的解释和表达的文化差异。这项研究的结果将对未来改善非裔美国儿童以及其他少数民族儿童的心理评估以及适当安置和治疗产生影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Children who grow up in high-risk environments, such as impoverished neighborhoods characterized by chronic exposure to crime and violence, are at particular risk for development of both behavioral and emotional problems. In the U.S., a correlation frequently has been found between ethnic minority status and the likelihood of living in such high-risk environments, which suggests that assessment of psychological problems for ethnic minority children is particularly important. However, the validity of psychological assessment instruments for ethnic minorities is unclear. Overall, the proposed study seeks to examine the cultural validity of the Child Behavior Checklist, by employing an Item Response Theory analysis to determine differential functioning in both the items and scales for African-American versus Euro-American children. Specifically, the Differential Functioning of Items and Tests (DFIT) Framework will be used to conduct a secondary analysis on Fast-Track data to assess measurement bias for African-Americans and Euro-American children. Using a mixed model approach to Hierarchical Linear Modeling, contextual factors (e.g., SES, neighborhood, parenting beliefs, and values) will be related to measurement bias for traits showing significant bias to determine the ecological elements that may underlie differential responding for African-Americans versus Euro-Americans. In addition to assessing the cultural validity of a specific assessment instrument (the CBCL), the proposed project will help to increase our understanding of (a) how the unique context of African American families may result in different conceptionalizations of what behaviors are considered problematic, and (b) cultural variability in the interpretation and expression of psychopathology for young children. Findings from this study will have implications for future improvement of psychological assessments and appropriate placement and treatment of African-American children as well as other ethnic minorities.