Psychological assessment of Asian Americans: Research agenda for cultural competency

Although the number and the ethnic composition of Asian American populations in the United States have changed dramatically in the last 2 decades, we have little empirical support for what constitutes a culturally competent assessment practice with individuals from this population group. It is argued that major sociodemographic shifts within the Asian American population in the past few decades pose particular challenges to conducting assessment research studies with Asian Americans. Moreover, lack of data regarding current practices of clinicians assessing Asian Americans as well as the increased diversity and the population shifts, make it difficult to set a unified research agenda for cultural competency in assessment. A brief review of Asian American assessment research is presented with an eye toward the changing sociopolitical context. Various strategies for future assessment research with Asian Americans are evaluated in light of the current trends in ethnic minority assessment research literature.