The Development of the Ethnocultural Identity Behavioral Index: Psychometric Properties and Validation with Asian...

PURPOSE. The goal of this article is to present a measurement tool with potential utility for health care workers and mental health professionals who require a means of systematically assessing ethnocultural behaviors in the course of their professional clinical activities and decision making. METHODOLOGY. As part of a larger effort to develop a multi­dimensional, ethnocultural identification scale for clinical and research use, a cultural general 19 item self­report behavior index entitled the Ethnocultural Identity Behavior Index (EIBI) was designed. The psychometrics of the EIBI were examined on a sample of 352 college students self­identifying with an Asian American or Native Hawaiian ethnocultural group. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS. The data suggest that the EIBI has high internal consistency. Construct and concurrent convergent validity were also established for the EIBI through a comparison of the EIBI schores of immigrants and non­immigrants, through correlations with self­reported strength of identification with one's chosen ethnocultural group (r=0.48), and through correlations with the self­reports of pride toward one's group (r=0.31). A factor analysis of the EIBI yielded three factors (i.e. Cultural Activities, Social Interactions, Language Opportunities) that accounted for 60% of the total variance. CONCLUSIONS. The EIBI appears to be a valid and reliable index of one's involvement with an ethnocultural group, making it useful as a quick index of ethnocultural identity. RELEVANCE TO ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER POPULATIONS. This article is particularly relevant to persons identifying with Asian American and Native Hawaiian ethnocultural groups. KEY WORDS. Ethnocultural identity, measurement, Asian American and Native Hawaiian adults