Nour N. Mansour & Nathan C. Weed Designing a study to evaluate the Arabic MMPI-2-RF in a sample of Lebanese immigrants Nour N. Mansour & Nathan C. Weed Central Michigan University Abstract Lebanon: History and Culture The Arab American Community Major Research Questions The MMPI-2 was translated into Arabic by Soliman, an Egyptian psychologist, in 1996. It was back-translated by the University of Minnesota Press and approved for research use, but the translation has not been studied empirically. This poster describes a project in the works to provide initial validation of the Arabic MMPI-2-RF in a sample of bilingual Lebanese immigrants to the United States. We trace the history of Arabic language applications of the MMPI and MMPI-2, describe cultural and demographic variables specific to Lebanese populations, provide examples of MMPI-2-RF items that might present comprehension problems in the Lebanese dialect of Arabic, and outline a study designed to provide initial validation of the Arabic MMPI-2-RF. Almost all of the people in the region extending from the Atlantic coast of Northern Africa to the Arabian Gulf call themselves Arabs. The classification, “Arab,” is based largely on common language and a shared sense of geographic, historical, and cultural identity. There have been several waves of immigration from Lebanon to the United States, and earlier Lebanese immigrants were successful at completely assimilating and integrating into American culture. We are interested in exploring the cross-language correlations, which may suggest items that require closer study in the Arabic version or may reflect imperfect translation. We will also explore possible cultural differences in item interpretation using item-level correlations. The external validity measure will also be used to examine the level of convergence between the translated version and the external criteria. Lebanon is a relatively small country, with an estimated resident population of 4.3 million. Approximately 54% are Muslim, 41.5% are Christians, 5.6% are Druze and other religious minorities (Jews, Buddhist, Hindus, and Mormons). This civil war has had a huge psychological impact due to its long duration (1975-1991) and its manifestation in various forms of violence and hassles in daily living. The impact of war conditions produced a variety of psychological symptoms and disorders such as somatic disorders, depression, and PTSD. Possible Problematic Translations Lebanese American Culture English: [redacted item content] Arabic: [redacted item content] Possible Problem: The concept of “forest ranger” is uncommon in Lebanon, and might not be understood correctly. English: [redacted item content] Possible Problem: The Egyptian word for closet, “دولاب ,” is equivalent to the Lebanese word for wheel, and does not exist in classical Arabic. Possible Problem: The Arabic word for fire, “ ,” may be understood as another word for “hell.” Arabic Applications of the MMPI Lebanese American families, similar to Lebanese families in the larger urban areas of Lebanon, have adopted the American pattern of nuclear families. Research with Muslim girls living in the United States showed that girls who reported a stronger sense of belonging to their ethnic or cultural group identified themselves as possessing a greater number of traits that are stereotypically feminine. Lebanese Culture The original MMPI was translated and developed for use in Egypt in the mid-1950s by three Egyptian psychologists. The original standardization was conducted on a sample of 544 male students in different colleges and universities. Later, the MMPI was administered to 300 female students in several colleges and universities. In Middle Eastern countries, religion and culture usually go hand in hand. The presence of a large Christian population sets Lebanon apart from surrounding countries. Religion also affects people’s everyday life. For example, most urban Christians and urban Muslims are generally liberal in their way of life, whereas a portion of urban Muslims and rural people of all religions are more conservative. Religious language is used in everyday conversations by Lebanese individuals of different religions. Overarching cultural norms that are regulated by religion, e.g. family and collectivism. In addition to the passing of time, Americanization, with its emphasis on youth, personal achievement, individualism, and independence, has eroded some of the traditional Arab beliefs. Present Study Translation of the MMPI-2 Participants: Sample of Lebanese Americans in the Dearborn area of Michigan. Instruments: MMPI-2-RF (English and Arabic versions), two measures assessing various facets of acculturation, and an informant report measure to provide evidence of external validity. Method: A bilingual test-retest methodology will be followed, where participants complete the two different versions of the MMPI-2-RF at two different occasions.   The English version was translated into simple literary Arabic language, which is a standard Arabic language that is understood, read, and spoken by all Arabic-speaking people. The Arabic version was then back-translated using a professional linguist associated with Minnesota Press. The version was approved for research use, but was not standardized or validated in any Arabic-speaking countries.