title: Development and evaluation of the Internalized Racism in Asian Americans Scale (IRAAS).
abstract: This article presents the development and psychometric evaluation of the Internalized Racism in Asian Americans Scale (IRAAS), which was designed to measure the degree to which Asian Americans internalized hostile attitudes and negative messages targeted toward their racial identity. Items were developed on basis of prior literature, vetted through expert feedback and cognitive interviews, and administered to 655 Asian American participants through Amazon Mechanical Turk. Exploratory factor analysis with a random subsample (n = 324) yielded a psychometrically robust preliminary measurement model consisting of 3 factors: Self-Negativity, Weakness Stereotypes, and Appearance Bias. Confirmatory factor analysis with a separate subsample (n = 331) indicated that the proposed correlated factors model was strongly consistent with the observed data. Factor determinacies were high and demonstrated that the specified items adequately measured their intended factors. Bifactor modeling further indicated that this multidimensionality could be univocally represented for the purpose of measurement, including the use of a mean total score representing a single continuum of internalized racism on which individuals vary. The IRAAS statistically predicted depressive symptoms, and demonstrated statistically significant correlations in theoretically expected directions with four dimensions of collective self-esteem. These results provide initial validity evidence supporting the use of the IRAAS to measure aspects of internalized racism in this population. Limitations and research implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara.
authors.forename: Andrew Young
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Israel
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
authors.forename: Hotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maeda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D063505:Racism / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult