Hispanic Acculturation Index: Advancing Measurement in Acculturation

Abstract

Hispanics experiences with cultural change are particularly important given its relationship with individual and family functioning. The current study attempts to improve the acculturation scale sensitivity by expanding response options, adding item content emphasizing cultural values, and improve scale orthogonality consistent with existing theory. Results indicate acceptable reliability for the Hispanic Acculturation Index Hispanic (HAI-H; α = .93) and White American Scales (HAI-WA; α = .88) with adequate model fit. Strong correlations between ethnic identity and the HAI-H (r = .83, p < .01) and HAI-WA (r = .61, p < .01) and a non-significant relationship with a measure of social support provided evidence supporting the scales' construct validity. Moreover, ethnicity was a statistically significant variable for HAI-H (β = .77, p < .01) and HAI-WA (β = .53, p < .01) scores.

KEYWORDS:

• Acculturation
• cultural change
• acculturation measurement
• Latinos/Hispanics

Notes

*p < .05;

**p < .01;

***Item was removed following confirmatory factor analysis.