Principles for Adapting Assessments of Executive Function across Cultural Contexts

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Cross-Cultural Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Direct assessments of executive functions (EFs) are widely used in research and clinical settings.
• A core assumption is that these assessments measure universal cognitive skills.
• Global use of EFs assessments raises concerns about cultural appropriateness, particularly for those developed in Western contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review multidisciplinary evidence and theory on cultural preferences that may conflict with EF assessment assumptions.
• To identify specific cultural factors influencing the validity and applicability of EFs assessments across diverse populations.
• To propose strategies for adapting EF assessments to enhance their cultural relevance and scientific utility.

Main Methods:

• Selective review of multidisciplinary evidence and theoretical frameworks.
• Identification of cultural preferences potentially at odds with EF assessment implicit assumptions.
• Analysis of how cultural differences in motivation, social interaction, thinking styles, and familiarity impact test performance.

Main Results:

• Cultural preferences regarding motivation, interpersonal engagement, thinking styles (contextualized vs. academic), perceptions of time, willingness to be unconventional, and subject familiarity can conflict with EF assessment demands.
• These cultural variations are often pronounced between interdependent and independent cultures, and between schooled and unschooled populations.
• Incompatibility arises from differing cultural norms that may influence compliance, engagement, and response strategies during assessments.

Conclusions:

• Standardized EF assessments may not accurately capture cognitive abilities in diverse cultural groups due to implicit Western biases.
• Adapting testing protocols to align with specific cultural preferences is crucial for accurate cross-cultural research on executive functions.
• Future research and practice must address these cultural considerations to broaden the scientific understanding of EFs beyond historically studied populations.