Description
The Scale of Ethnic Experience is a 32-item self-report measure designed to assess multiple dimensions of ethnic experience in ethnic minority groups. It includes four subscales:
- Ethnic Identity (12 items): Measures sense of belonging, pride, and involvement in one’s ethnic group (e.g., “Being a member of my ethnic group is an important part of who I am”).
- Social Affiliation (5 items): Assesses preferences for socializing with others from the same or different ethnic groups (e.g., “I feel most comfortable talking about personal things with people from my own ethnic group”).
- Mainstream Comfort (6 items): Gauges feelings of comfort and assimilation with the dominant U.S. culture (e.g., “I think of myself as a typical American”).
- Perceived Discrimination (9 items): Measures perceptions of discrimination and inequities (e.g., “My ethnic group does not have the same opportunities as other ethnic groups”).
Each item is scored using a 5-point Likert-type scale from 1 (Strongly Agree) to 5 (Strongly Disagree). Subscale scores are calculated by averaging items within each subscale, with higher scores indicating stronger endorsement of that dimension.
AI/AN Communities where the measure has been used
- Tribe on a rural Southwestern reservation (participants in an SUD treatment RCT)
- Urban American Indian populations in two Midwestern cities
- American Indian college students
Demographics of AI/AN participants where the scale has been used
- Greenfield et al. (2015): Native participants (18+) from a single Southwestern tribe, seeking treatment for substance use disorders
- Guenzel & Struwe (2020): Urban AI adults, 19+
- Tucker et al. (2016): American Indian college students, aged 18–25
Notes on adaptations or modifications
- A 12-item short form has been developed and validated in English and Spanish for broader use across diverse Latino subgroups (Malcarne et al., 2022)
Modality and administration
Scoring
- 5-point Likert scale from 1 (Strongly Agree) to 5 (Strongly Disagree)
- Each subscale is scored separately by averaging the relevant items.
- Higher subscale scores indicate stronger ethnic identification, greater perceived discrimination, stronger in-group social affiliation, or greater mainstream comfort, depending on the subscale.
Psychometric evidence
- Original study: Cronbach’s α ranged from .80 to .86 across subscales.
- In AI/AN college sample (Tucker et al., 2016): Subscale reliability ranged from .68 to .75.
- HCHS/SOL study (Malcarne et al., 2022): Short form demonstrated strong psychometric properties across English and Spanish versions.
Citation(s)
Original Citation(s):
- Malcarne, V. L., Chavira, D. A., Fernandez, S., & Liu, P. J. (2006). The scale of ethnic experience: Development and psychometric properties. Journal of Personality Assessment, 86(2), 150–161. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa8602_05
- Malcarne, V. L., et al. (2022). Psychometric findings from the HCHS/SOL Sociocultural Ancillary Study. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 28(4), 503–512. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000508
Example Use Citation(s):
- Greenfield, B. L., et al. (2015). Cultural adaptation, psychometric properties, and outcomes of the Native American Spirituality Scale. Psychological Services, 12(2), 123–133. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000019
- Guenzel, N., & Struwe, L. (2020). Historical trauma, ethnic experience, and mental health in a sample of urban American Indians. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 26(2), 145–156. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078390319888266
- Tucker, R. P., Wingate, L. R., & O’Keefe, V. M. (2016). Historical loss thinking and symptoms of depression are influenced by ethnic experience in American Indian college students. Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology, 22(3), 350–358. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000055
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.
