NCJ Number
223228
Journal
Journal of Adolescence Volume: 31 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2008 Pages: 323-335
Date Published
June 2008
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and factor structure of scores on a 12-item version of Phinney’s multigroup ethnic identity measure (MEIM) with an Australian sample of adolescents from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Abstract
The results support the reliability and factor structure of multigroup ethnic identity measure (MEIM) scores and suggest a two-factor structure of ethnic identity consisting of Affirmation/Belonging and Exploration. The results generally support the use of MEIM in the Australian context and add to the accumulating evidence that this measure is suitable for research in a diversity of cultural and multicultural settings. The last two decades have seen considerable growth in the field of ethnic and racial identity research. In 1990, Phinney argued that for ethnic minorities, ethnic identity was a key aspect of social development during adolescence and that a positive sense of ethnic identity contributed to psychological well-being. Phinney highlighted the need for a scale measuring ethnic identity that could be used with a variety of ethnocultural groups. Consequently, MEIM was developed. The MEIM originally comprised 14 items designed to assess 3 aspects of ethnic identity: affirmation and sense of belonging, ethnic identity achievement, and ethnic behaviors or practices. Previous research suggests that the internal reliability of MEIM scores is high but there is less evidence concerning the factor structure. This study investigated the psychometric properties of MEIM scores with a sample of Australian students from diverse ethnocultural backgrounds. Tables, references