Cultural validation of the structured clinical interview for diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders in Indigenous Australians

Objective: This study determined the cultural appropriateness of the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) as an acceptable tool for diagnosing mental illness among Indigenous people. Methods: De-identified qualitative feedback from participants and psychologists regarding the cultural appropriateness of the SCID-I for Indigenous people using open-ended anonymous questionnaires was gathered. Aboriginal Medial Service staff and Indigenous Support Workers participated in a focus group. Results: A total of 95.6% of participants felt comfortable during the 498 questionnaires completed. Psychologists also provided qualitative feedback for 502 (92.3%) interviews, of whom 40.4% established a good rapport with participants. Of the participants, 77.7% understood the SCID-I questions well, while 72.5% did not require any cultural allowances to reach a clinical diagnosis. Conclusion: When administered by a culturally safe trained psychologist, SCID-I is well tolerated in this group.