Cultural Competence in Assessing Social-Emotional Development
From the October 2001 Early Childhood newsletter.
When home visitors and early interventionists assess social-emotional development in a child from a cultural background different from their own, they need to look at the child through the family's eyes and not their own. Marci Hanson, a professor of early childhood special education at San Francisco State University, urges professionals to remember that "children are socialized within their culture. Some of the behaviors we have on our 'checklist' are cultural-bound behaviors."
For example, eye contact, certain gestures, and other behaviors that signify healthy development in one culture can mean something entirely different in another. Amy Santos, an assistant professor of special education at the University of Illinois, points out that in some cultures, the apparent failure of children to look an adult in the eye is actually a show of respect. Dr. Hanson mentions that in certain cultures, children are taught not to speak up spontaneously.
"There is a tendency to assume that someone who does something differently is wrong," says Dr. Hanson. "We often have dominant cultural goals for a child, and often these goals are not universal across cultures."
These challenges require professionals to "ask families what their child's behavior means to them, instead of telling them [there is a problem]," says Dr. Hanson. It is important for early interventionists to examine their own interpretation of behaviors and possible biases. Aside from family members, other early interventionists who have knowledge of the family's culture can also help someone decide if particular behaviors are a sign of a problem.
Both Dr. Hanson and Dr. Santos of course urge professionals to be careful not to stereotype. Within each cultural group, there can be many variations in beliefs and practices. A family's priorities for their child's development will vary depending not only on their cultural background but factors such as socioeconomic status, level of education, and language proficiency. Understanding cultural and individual differences is a process that takes a professional's entire career. "It's not possible to know about every ethnic group," reminds Dr. Santos, "but use your knowledge as an anchor to get to know families. Cultural competence is a lifelong journey."
