IDI, LLC does not analyze data based upon country, region, or race or ethnicity profiles. The reason for this is there is no theoretical reason why particular groups would inherently differ in their cultural competency. If differences are found, it is not due to one's nationality or ethnicity, but because of individuals’ personal experiences. In other words, we would not expect a group of individuals to have similar IDI profiles simply because they are from the same area or share the same ethnic background.
The IDI assessment does provide the option to include a standard demographic question regarding country of citizenship which QAs may include in their data collection if they choose. IDI, LLC uses this data for general information about who is completing the IDI. Country of citizenship has also been used to ensure that international populations were included in previous validation studies, which showed the IDI is a valid measure across both U.S. and international populations.
Making comparisons with IDI data should be used solely to address goals of particular projects or research. For example, an organization may wish to determine if, overall, people in particular departments or positions (e.g. leadership, staff, etc.) vary in their IDI scores for the purpose of designing specific interventions for continued development. Another example may be comparison of 2 populations to determine if a particular experience, such as participation in a study abroad program, makes a difference on IDI scores.
QAs are able to add multiple choice customized questions to collect additional demographic data and may choose to ask about race/ethnicity, country of origin, gender identity, etc., if they wish. If a QA opts to do this, IDI, LLC encourages them to consider the purpose of including the questions, as well as what they intend to do with the data collected from those questions. In addition, the QA should follow local regulations regarding appropriate data collection. For example, under the European Directive 1995/46 of the European Parliament and the Council of October 24, 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data, QAs in the European Union are not permitted to collect data on the ethnic background of respondents.
It is the QA's responsibility to ensure that data collected via customized questions is both legal and used ethically.