Cross-Cultural Adaptation Strategies for Psychological Assessment Instruments in Senegalese Populations

Psychological assessment tools are designed to measure mental health conditions across diverse populations. In Africa, cultural sensitivity is crucial for accurate interpretation of these assessments. This mixed-methods study involves a cross-cultural adaptation process using surveys, interviews, and focus groups with participants from various socio-economic backgrounds in Senegal. A key finding is the need for culturally tailored questions to mitigate misinterpretations of certain assessment items by local respondents. The proportion of successful adaptations was 75% across all tested instruments. The study demonstrates that careful adaptation can significantly improve the reliability and validity of psychological assessments in diverse cultural settings. Healthcare providers should prioritise the use of culturally adapted tools for mental health evaluations, alongside ongoing research to refine these adaptations further. cross-cultural adaptation, psychological assessment, Senegal, African child psychology