Measurement Repository

The EARTH Diet History Questionnaire (DHQ) includes foods commonly consumed by the general U.S. population as well as a list of Alaska Native (AN) traditional foods developed with input from Tribal leadership and local AN experts. Traditional foods were defined as those locally hunted, harvested, fished, or gathered in Alaska, such as seafood, game meats, marine mammals and their fats, berries, greens, wild birds, and bird eggs. Participants indicated whether they consumed each item at least once per month or ≥12 times over the past year, allowing for assessment of both consumption frequency and dietary variety. Validation studies comparing the EARTH DHQ with repeated 24-hour dietary recalls demonstrated acceptable relative validity for use in epidemiologic research.

This measure is a modified version of the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity (MIBI) originally developed by Sellers et al. (1997). In the Chee, Shorty, & Robinson Kurpius (2018) study, the MIBI was adapted for use with Native American undergraduates to assess ethnic identity. The scale evaluates dimensions such as the centrality of ethnic identity to the individual’s self-concept, private regard (positive or negative feelings about one’s ethnic group), and public regard (perceptions of how others view one’s ethnic group).

The Ethnic Identity Scale (EIS) was developed to assess adolescents’ ethnic identity development. It captures three domains: 1) Exploration (efforts to learn about one’s ethnic group), 2) Resolution (clarity about the meaning and importance of one’s ethnicity), and 3) Affirmation (positive or negative feelings about one’s ethnic group membership). Items ask participants about their behaviors, feelings, and thoughts related to their ethnicity. The scale is used to examine relationships between ethnic identity and outcomes such as self-esteem, coping, and resilience.

The ECRSS is a brief 11-item self-report measure designed to assess multiple dimensions of cultural connection and identity. Items address cultural pride, perspectives on culture as a source of strength or weakness, religious and spiritual identity, bilingualism, participation in tribal or spiritual activities, and use of ceremonial or spiritual resources and healers. Unlike linear approaches, the ECRSS emphasizes a relational framework to understand identification and involvement with American Indian culture. Rather than focusing on problems or risk factors, the measure highlights worldview, sources of strength, and resilience. The scale captures three primary domains: Religious/spiritual identity and community involvement Language use and bilingualism Ethnicity and cultural identity

The Family Communication and Activities measure captures how often, in a typical week, a caregiver and child engage in shared activities and conversations. It includes four items that ask about the frequency of doing enjoyable activities together (e.g., playing sports or games), working together on household tasks (e.g., cooking or cleaning), discussing daily events, and talking about the child’s feelings. Respondents choose how many days per week these interactions occur, ranging from 0 to 7 days. Scores can help identify areas where families may benefit from additional support in building daily routines that promote closeness and open dialogue. The measure is available in versions for both adults and caregivers, with minor differences in instructions but identical content.

The Family Environment – Cohesion scale is a 5-item measure assessing perceived emotional bonding and support among individuals and those they identify as family. Items evaluate the extent to which participants agree with statements reflecting pride in family membership, mutual support, harmony, shared time, and a general sense of togetherness. Respondents rate each statement on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree,” with an additional “Don’t Know/Refuse to Answer” option. Higher total scores indicate stronger perceived family cohesion. This measure was adapted from the Cohesion subscale of the Brief Family Relationship Scale, originally validated with Alaska Native adolescents.

The Flourishing Scale is a brief 8-item summary measure of the respondent’s self-perceived success in important areas such as relationships, self-esteem, purpose, and optimism. The scale provides a single psychological well-being score. Response options are on a 7-point Likert Scale ranging from 1 “Strongly disagree” to 7 “Strongly agree”. Responses are summed, varying from 1 to 7, for all eight items. The possible range of scores is from 8 to 56. A high score represents a person with many psychological resources and strengths.

The 6-item short form of the Household Food Security Scale is an abbreviated measure designed to assess household food insecurity when time or resource limitations prevent use of the full 18-item scale. This short form retains core indicators that reflect increasing severity of food insecurity, such as food not lasting, inability to afford balanced meals, eating less than felt necessary, and experiences of hunger. The items were selected based on their ability to distinguish food-secure from food-insecure households and to capture two levels of insecurity: without hunger and with hunger. The questions ask respondents to report on food-related hardships over the past 12 months, using structured response options (e.g., often, sometimes, never). Scoring is based on the number of affirmative responses: two or more indicates food insecurity, and five or more indicates food insecurity with hunger. This tool preserves much of the full scale’s classification power, achieving high concordance rates in national survey data while reducing respondent burden.

The FACIT-Sp12 is a 12-item measure designed to assess spiritual well-being, particularly among individuals living with chronic illness. It measures three domains: peace, meaning, and faith. Items ask respondents to rate experiences such as feelings of harmony, purpose, or strength from faith. The measure was developed to provide a brief, non–denominational assessment of spirituality that contributes to health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Responses are based on the past seven days. Higher scores indicate higher levels of spiritual well-being.

Designed to gauge overall perceived self-efficacy, the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) aims to predict how well individuals manage everyday hassles and adapt after a wide range of stressful experiences. Each item emphasizes effective coping and assumes that success stems from enduring, internal factors. Originally a 20-item measure, this scale was condensed to 10 items in later revisions. It is intended for use with the general population, encompassing adults as well as adolescents. For each item, there is a 4-point response scale. The score for each of the 10 items are summed to give a total score. The higher the score, the greater is the individual’s generalized sense of self-efficacy.

The GLEAN Scale is a culturally grounded measure developed through a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach to assess quality of life among Alaska Native communities. It reflects Indigenous conceptualizations of wellness and goodness of life, encompassing domains such as relationships, cultural and spiritual practices, personal strengths, sobriety, providing for family, and environmental connectedness. The items ask respondents to rate the truth of culturally salient statements, emphasizing relational, community, and spiritual well-being over material indicators.

The Hawaiian Cultural Identity Scale (HCIS) is a measure used to assess cultural orientation toward Hawaiian culture. Items ask about how knowledgeable participants are about Hawaiian culture, how involved they are in it, how they feel toward it, how often they associate with others from that culture, and, in some versions, how important the culture is to them. The scale captures multiple dimensions of cultural identity, including cognitive, behavioral, affective, and social components. A corresponding American Cultural Identity Scale (ACIS) has also been used in parallel to assess bicultural identification