Diversity Assessment Instruments

Assessment Tool Examples

As the world has become increasingly diverse, it has also become increasingly necessary for educators, health care workers, social agency personnel, and employees in businesses and corporations to develop cultural competence. The assessment of the cultural competence of individuals as well as organizations and institutions has become a natural by-product of cultural diversity training. Cultural diversity assessment instruments have been developed to address the perception and reflection of culture by individuals, institutions, organizations, and programs within organizations. Self-assessment instruments designed to be used by personnel in schools, businesses, and other human service organizations consist of a series of statements to which responses reveal positive or negative perceptions of diversity.

The Self-Assessment Checklist for Personnel Providing Services and Supports to Children and Their Families, developed by Tawara Goode from the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development, consists of 33 items designed to assess perceptions of educators regarding the importance of culture as reflected by the school learning environment through materials and resources, communication styles, and values and attitudes. Educators respond to questions addressing whether the displays in their classroom reflect cultural diversity, how they respond to parents of limited English proficiency, or if they understand how religious beliefs may impact decisions regarding illness, medical treatment, or death. Respondents reflect cultural competence by choosing from the following responses to the 33 statements: (1) things I do frequently, (2) things I do occasionally, or (3) things I do rarely or never. There are no right or wrong responses; however, a majority response of “things I do rarely or never” may reveal a low level of cultural competence in working with children from diverse cultural backgrounds.

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