Adapting the colonial mentality scale for mexican-origin emerging adults

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Postcolonial Studies

Background:

• Colonial mentality, a damaging legacy of colonization, involves perceiving colonizers as superior.
• This perception negatively impacts the culture, society, and heritage of colonized peoples.
• Understanding its effects is crucial for mental health research and practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the psychometric properties of a revised Colonial Mentality Scale (CMS-M).
• To apply a postcolonial lens to the experiences of Mexican-origin emerging adults.
• To investigate the association between colonial mentality dimensions and mental health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized exploratory factor analysis to determine the factor structure of the revised Colonial Mentality Scale (CMS-M).
• Conducted convergent and discriminant validity analyses to assess scale dimensions.
• Examined demographic differences (gender, immigrant generation) and mental health associations.

Main Results:

• A modified four-factor, 30-item CMS (CMS-M) was supported, including items on anti-Black features.
• Convergent validity was supported; discriminant validity was partially supported.
• Internalized cultural/ethnic inferiority and projecting cultural shame were linked to poorer mental health; women reported higher internalized inferiority.

Conclusions:

• The CMS-M is a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing colonial mentality in Mexican-origin emerging adults.
• Findings highlight the detrimental impact of specific colonial mentality dimensions on mental health.
• This research informs culturally sensitive mental health interventions for this population.