Description

The American Indian Enculturation Scale (AIES) is a self-report measure developed to assess the degree of identification with, participation in, and knowledge of traditional American Indian cultural practices and beliefs. The scale was designed for use in counseling, prevention, and community-based research to support culturally congruent approaches to health and well-being. Items reflect engagement with one’s tribal language, spiritual practices, ceremonies, and community life. Higher scores indicate stronger levels of enculturation, cultural pride, and connection to Indigenous lifeways, which have been shown to relate to greater resilience and psychological well-being.

AI/AN Communities where the measure has been used

Multiple American Indian and Alaska Native communities across the United States.

Demographics of AI/AN participants where the scale has been used

  • AI/AN adults with or without substance use disorders.
  • Youth in residential or community-based recovery settings.
  • Adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and their caregivers.
  • General adult community members across diverse tribal affiliations.

Notes on adaptations or modifications

  1. Some studies adapted item wording to ensure cultural relevance for specific tribal groups (e.g., substituting local ceremonial terms or language references).
  2. Several youth-focused adaptations shortened the original version (15–20 items) and adjusted phrasing to emphasize family participation and peer relationships in cultural activities.
  3. Response options have varied slightly (e.g., 4- or 5-point Likert scales), but all versions retain higher scores as indicators of greater enculturation.

Modality and administration

Self-report; paper-and-pencil and digital (online) survey formats

Scoring

Items are rated on a Likert-type scale (commonly 1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree). Scores are summed or averaged to generate a total enculturation score, with higher scores reflecting stronger cultural identification, knowledge, and participation.

Psychometric evidence

Internal consistency reliability was excellent (α = 0.94) in the original validation study (Winderowd et al., 2008). Factor analysis supported a single-factor structure representing enculturation. The scale demonstrated convergent validity through positive correlations with tribal identity and negative associations with acculturative stress. Higher enculturation scores were also related to greater well-being and lower psychological distress, supporting criterion-related validity.

Citation(s)

Original Citation:

  • Winderowd, C., Montgomery, D., Stumblingbear, G., Harless, D., Hicks, K., & Webster, K. (2008). Development of the American Indian Enculturation Scale to assist counseling practice. American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 15(2), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.5820/aian.1502.2008.1

Example Use Citations:

  • Bethel DL, Baughman NR, Demuth MJ, Nacke M, Rojas L, Mann E, Cochran G, Wilhelm RA, Kuplicki R, Shadlow JO, Lawrence GL, Kominsky TK, Stumblingbear-Riddle GP, Kemp C, Gonzalez MB, Walls ML, Aupperle RL, Paulus MP, White EJ. Development and validation of the American Indian Multimedia Stimulus (AIMS) set for measuring cultural identity responding. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol. 2025 Jun 16:10.1037/cdp0000750. doi: 10.1037/cdp0000750. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40522838; PMCID: PMC12288096.
  • Herron, J., Hirchak, K. A., Venner, K., Tofighi, D., McDonell, M. G., & HONOR Study Team. (2023). Cultural factors and alcohol use in American Indian adults: Results from a culturally tailored contingency management intervention. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 84(2), 273–280. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.21-00400
  • LaPlante, D. A., Whelshula, M., Gray, H. M., & Nelson, S. E. (2021). Understanding American Indian youth in residential recovery from substance use disorder: Risk and protective experiences and perceived recovery support. American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 28(1), 39–70. https://doi.org/10.5820/aian.2801.2021.39
  • Ponce-Garcia, E., Calix, S., Madewell, A. N., Randell, J. A., Perales, L., Bread, D., & Turner, B. (2019). Through childhood relationship with grandparent, enculturation leads to resilience in Native American adults. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 17(3), 340–352. https://doi.org/10.1080/15350770.2018.1535348
  • Williamson, H. J., Brennan, A. C., Tress, S. F., Joseph, D. H., & Baldwin, J. A. (2020). Exploring health and wellness among Native American adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and their family caregivers. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 33(3), 327–333. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12664
  • Theis, L. D. (2014). Enculturation and posttraumatic growth factors in Native Americans. UMI Dissertation Services.

Disclaimer: The included citations are not exhaustive, but represent the examples we had access to. If you are an original author or have other work that could be included here, please contact us.