Description
The Intergenerational Connectedness Measure is a 5-item scale assessing an individual’s sense of connection across past, present, and future generations. Participants respond to statements such as “I feel connected to my ancestors” and “I think about how I can be a good ancestor” using a Likert-style response scale. The measure captures core aspects of intergenerational relationality, including honoring ancestral ties, feeling responsibility for future generations, and maintaining cultural continuity. It is designed to elevate strengths-based indicators of well-being rooted in Indigenous worldviews and is intended to support community wellness efforts, cultural programming, and research grounded in Indigenous values.
AI/AN Communities where the measure has been used
Communities in the northern Midwestern United States and Canada
Demographics of AI/AN participants where the scale has been used
Adult caregivers with children
Notes on adaptations or modifications
N/A
Modality and administration
Scoring
Scale 0-10. Where 0 represents no connection and 10 represents a very strong connection.
Psychometric evidence
No psychological evidence available.
Citation(s)
- CIH Website Description: https://cih.jhu.edu/programs/intergenerational-connectedness-measure-development-of-a-strengths-based-measure-to-advance-indigenous-health-research/
- O’Keefe, V. M., Maudrie, T. L., Grubin, F., Gonzalez, M. B., Ullrich, J. S., Crouch, M., White, E., Desjardins, M. M., Martin, L., Lewis, M., HorseChief, M., Fernandez, A., Keryte, A. P., & Walls, M. L. (2025). “Someday, I’ll be an Ancestor:” Understanding Indigenous Intergenerational Connectedness through Qualitative Research to inform Measure Development. American Journal of Community Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12803Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
