Description
The modified version of the Urban American Indian Identity Attitude Scale (UAIIS) is a 10-item self-report measure adapted from Walters’ (1999) original 60-item scale assessing cultural identity attitudes among urban American Indian adults. This abbreviated version focuses on the self-actualization subscale, which examines an individual’s connection with and pride in their American Indian/Alaska Native identity. Sample items include “I feel good about my Indian identity” and “Traditional Indian ways are not for me.” Items are rated on a 4-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree), with some items reverse-scored so that higher total scores indicate greater connection with AI/AN identity. This version has been used to assess cultural connectedness among adults seeking substance use treatment in an urban setting (Dickerson et al., 2021).
AI/AN Communities where the measure has been used
Urban Indigenous communities in Southern California
Demographics of AI/AN participants where the scale has been used
AI/AN adults seeking outpatient or inpatient substance use treatment in urban settings
Notes on adaptations or modifications
- A 10-item subset of the original 60-item scale was adapted/picked for inclusion in Dickerson, et al. (2021).
- Modified from a 5-point to a 4-point Likert-type scale
Modality and administration
Scoring
Items are rated on a Likert scale. In the modified version, 1=strongly disagree, 2=somewhat disagree, 3=somewhat agree, 4=strongly agree. Some items are reverse scored so that higher scores reflect stronger connection to AI/AN identity
Psychometric evidence
The modified 10-item version used by Dickerson et al. (2021) had a Cronbach’s alpha of .73.
Citation(s)
Original Development:
- Walters, K. L. (1995). Urban American Indian identity and psychological wellness. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of California, Los Angeles. https://www.proquest.com/openview/8d48bde2b5bef1113fb17849de206a6c/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
- Walters, K. L. (1999). Urban American Indian Identity Attitudes and Acculturation Styles. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 2(1–2), 163–178. https://doi.org/10.1300/J137v02n01_11
Example of Measure Use:
- Dickerson, D. L., D’Amico, E. J., Klein, D. J., Johnson, C. L., Hale, B., & Ye, F. (2021). Mental Health, Physical Health, and Cultural Characteristics Among American Indians/Alaska Natives Seeking Substance Use Treatment in an Urban Setting: A Descriptive Study. Community mental health journal, 57(5), 937–947. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00688-3
The original citation might actually be Walters’ (1995)
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.
