Culturally Responsive Interviewing Practices

As communities and school populations continue to become more culturally, economically, and linguistically diverse, the need for comprehensive training and explicit guidelines for culturally responsive school mental health practices also grows. School Psychologists are both expected and ethically responsible to competently assess and serve diverse student and family populations, regardless of potential language or cultural barriers. The current article is focused on describing background and rationale for culturally responsive interviewing practices as they pertain to the roles and responsibilities of School Psychologists. Building on the guidelines and principles of the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI), developed by the American Psychiatric Association, authors describe the potential applicability of the interviewing format for use with culturally and linguistically diverse students and families. Practical implications for use of culturally responsive interviewing strategies and culturally competent communication skills are discussed.