Description

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.

AI/AN Communities where the measure has been used

Norton Sound or Bering Strait region of Alaska

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

Adults of Alaska Native heritage, ages 18+

Notes on adaptations or modifications

  1. Developed as an Alaska Native – specific measure, not an adaptation of an existing tool

Modality and administration

Self-report; administered online via survey link (Qualtrics)

Scoring

Each of the 18 items is rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale (0 = “Not at all true” to 4 = “Completely”). Articles do not specify whether scores are summed or averaged. Higher scores reflect greater perceived “goodness of life”

Psychometric evidence

Exploratory factor analysis produced a 5-factor model; confirmatory factor analysis supported an 18-item structure with adequate fit (CFI ≥ .90, RMSEA ≤ .08)

Citation(s)

  • Crouch, M. C., Skan, J., David, E. J. R., Lopez, E. D. S., & Prochaska, J. J. (2020). Indigenizing quality of life: The goodness of life for every Alaska Native research study. Applied Research in Quality of Life. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-019-09782-5
  • Crouch, M. C., Skan, J., David, E. J. R., Lopez, E. D. S., & Prochaska, J. J. (2021). Indigenizing Quality of Life: The Goodness of Life for Every Alaska Native Research Study. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 16(3), 1123–1143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-019-09782-5

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.