Ethnic Identity – Phinney

Ethnic Identity-Phinney (Adolescent Pathways Project, 1994) is a 9-item scale adapted from a measure developed by Phinney (1992) which assesses their feelings about the ethnic identity group with which they identify. The scale includes three factors: exploration, group-esteem, and ambivalent (confusion or discontent regarding ethnicity) ethnic attitutudes.

Abstract: Ethnic Identity - Phinney (Adolescent Pathways Project, 1994) is a 9-item scale adapted from a measure developed by Jean S. Phinney (1992). It assesses participants' feelings about the ethnic identity group with which they identify. The scale includes three factors: exploration, group-esteem, and ambivalent (confusion or discontent regarding ethnicity) ethnic attitudes. The items in this instrument can be grouped to assess three different constructs of teen ethnic identity. The Exploration of Ethnic Attitudes (Explore) scale assesses an adolescent's active interest in his or her ethnic background. It consists of 4 items (3, 6, 7,8). The Group Esteem (Esteem) measure consists of 3 items (1,2,5) and reflects positive attitudes toward one's ethnic group. The Ambivalent Ethnic Attitudes (Ambivalent) construct includes 2 items about discontent with one's ethnic group or confusion about ethnic identity. Items 4 and 9 comprise this subscale. All of the factors, items and subscales identified here may be used with the African American youth. Given the low coefficient alpha for the Ambivalent subscale among Caucasian youth and for the total sample, this subscale should not be used with these groups. Nevertheless, the other two subscales (Esteem and Exploration) and the total measure may be used. Given their small sample sizes, it is not advisable to conduct analyses by ethnic group with youth who identify themselves as Hispanic, Native American, or Other.

Who Completed this Measure?: select one

Cohort 1 - Administrative History

  • Year 03 | grade 2 | age 8
  • Year 04 | grade 3 | age 9

Cohort 2 - Administrative History

  • Year 09 | grade 8 | age 14
  • Year 10 | grade 9 | age 15

Cohort 3 - Administrative History

  • Year 08 | grade 7 | age 13
  • Year 09 | grade 8 | age 14

Technical Reports:

Raw Dataset Name: CyAF

Scored Dataset Name: EIPySCc

Keywords:
Ethnicity, Racial Attitudes, Racial Identification, Self Concept.

Is this Measure Available for Public Use?: No

Obtain Measure:

Jean S. Phinney, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
California State University
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90032-8227
Tel: 323- 343-2261
Email: jphinne@calstatela.edu
and see The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM)