POSITION PAPER 4 prepared by SITI FARHANA BINTI ELIAS, 0719618

"Since most of the assessment instruments in the market were made based on American culture, Muslim counselors should not use standardized assessment instruments at all".Discuss

Assessment is very important to be done in order to make the effectiveness in counseling profession. It is important to the counselors in order to assess the clients’ needs. Many assessment instruments came from American culture. This is because the development of the counseling is more well -developed in the western counseling. There are such popular theories that are used by the counselors such as Psychoanalytic (Sigmund Freud), Person – centered (Carl Rogers), Rational Therapy (Albert Ellis) and many more.
Should the counselors use their standardized assessment instruments? In my point of view, I think the theories and also the assessment instruments are designed according to their culture. So when Muslim counselors take all the assessment and use it to their client based on American culture, it will become contradict with the culture and Muslim norms. This is because our culture is totally different from American culture. Counselors not ought to use standardized assessment instruments to the Muslim clients based on American culture.
Besides that, I see that the assessment instruments that are used based on American culture is biased, unfair, and inaccurate method for the measurement of Muslim client. Furthermore, testing is also biased in the determination of normal and abnormal behaviors and mental condition of our culture. It is because many assessment instruments from American culture are not appropriate to be used with the Muslim culture. Their assessment totally rejects the values of the religion. There is no Islamic values and also absolutely is not followed according to the fundamental which is Al-Quran and As-Sunnah. The contents of their standardized instruments are not appropriate and cannot be adapted to Muslim culture. Muslim counselors should not use standardized assessment instrument because it seem like Muslim counselors more depends on western theory and sometimes the result is not valid and does not make sense with the Muslim culture.
However, it cannot be denied that most of the assessment instruments in the market were made based on American culture. It is, therefore, many counselors use their assessment instruments in school, college and career counseling. Muslim counselor with basic psychology education, personality theory and technique as well as methods of western counseling will be able to contribute fresh ideas and views in this field as long as they consider Quran and Sunnah. Counselors can adapt, change and adjust their assessment instruments according to Muslim culture and norms.
As a conclusion, I stand my opinion that Muslim counselors should not use the standardized assessment instruments at all. It is the time for the Muslim counselors to study and acknowledge the theories, methods and also make their own assessment instruments based on the publics' views, values and beliefs of the Muslim culture without depend to much on American culture. And the most important things that whatever assessment we do to the clients must be based on Al- Quran and sunnah.