Previous research suggests that Latinos tend to score higher than Anglos on psychometric indicators of socially desirable responding. The purpose of the current study was to test several methodological and cultural explanations for these group differences. Hypothesized explanations included varying levels of problems in living, measurement bias, differential structure of socially desirable responding measures, reliabilities of response style indicators, or cultural factors. Results supported previous findings that self-identified Latino (N=143) respondents score significantly higher than Anglos (N=93) on some socially desirable responding indicators. Groups did not differ in levels of psychopathology and socially desirable responding indicators demonstrated structural similarity, equivalent relations to external criteria, and equivalent reliabilities across groups. Thus, data suggest normative differences between these groups in social presentation that should be considered in culturally sensitive clinical practice.

Hopwood, Christopher J., Claudia G. Flato, Suman Ambwani, Beth H. Garland, and Leslie C. Morey. A Comparison of Latino and Anglo Socially Desirable Responding. Journal of Clinical Psychology 65, no. 7 (2009): 769-780. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jclp.20584

Suman Ambwani is a professor of Psychology at Dickinson College.

For more information on the published version, visit Wiley Online Library's Website. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jclp.20584

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