Exploring cognitive and emotional processing of culturally responsive and antiracist test items

Culturally responsive and antiracist (CRA) test items have been discussed as a way to increase validity of test scores for students of color, accounting for the ways culture and cognition intersect while encouraging the field of educational measurement to be inclusive and antiracist. Given these premises, CRA items discuss culture, race, and antiracism, which some are concerned may cause cognitive or emotional disturbance in test takers. The current study explored these concerns through a reflexive thematic analysis of 20 cognitive interviews where college students interacted with CRA items. Results of this study show promise for CRA items via minimal negative emotional disturbance and actionable direction on how to avoid cognitive disturbance.