There are various types of translation problems, not all of which have received sufficient attention. Translation of questions or other verbal stimuli has received more attention than problems of achieving equivalence in translations of orienting and task in-structions and responses. Vocabulary equivalence must take into account language as used by respondents and the possibility of terms lacking equivalents across languages. Equivalence in idiom and in grammar and syntax may be important, but equivalence in terms of experiences and concepts tapped is probably most important of all. Direct translation cannot be assumed to produce equivalent versions of verbal stimuli. Back-translation is not only achievable but is likely to be highly satisfactory if care is taken in its use, especially in locating translators facile in the actual language of target subjects. While the de-centering proposals of Werner and Campbell have much to recommend them, de-centering becomes progressively difficult as one goes from two to multi-culture studies. For the latter purposes a "carrier" language seems inevitably necessary.

A 69-item questionnaire pertaining to attitudes toward mental disorder was administered to large college student samples in the United States, the Philippines, and Pakistan. Correlations between samples of item means indicated that, while the three samples were in general agreement across items, the Pakistani and Filipino samples were more similar in their responses. The Pakistani sample was least homogeneous in attitudes. Analysis of responses to individual items indicated that, on most items, the United States and Pakistani samples were most different from each other, with the Filipinos in the middle. Many of the Pakistani and Filipino responses could be interpreted in terms of superstition and lack of information, but many of the same responses are firmly rooted in the culture involved. It is by no means evident that the better-informed U.S. sample was invariably more "correct" and constructive in its attitudes.