Abstract:

This study explores ethnic and gender differences in the sociocultural adaptation and adjustment of college students from a cultural-historical theoretical lens. We validate the Cultural Adaptation and Development Inventory (CADI), a new multidimensional test instrument that allows the role of social contexts to be examined in defining individual/group differences. This new tool assesses differences in cultural adaptation for both acculturated and acculturating groups in general. The CADI is a self-report validated across multi-ethnic groups for whom various psychometric aspects are reviewed here from published and unpublished pilot studies. The reliability and validity of its a four factor model is described and summarized from a sequence of studies. Construct validity with self-esteem (RSES) and depression (CESD) and Locus of Control was established and will be summarized in the session. Overall, the CADI provided evidence for a culturally valid measurement that shows both convergent and discriminant validity. Predicted group (Dominant vs. non-Dominant) differences were replicated along with gender differences for Discouragement/Discrimination, Agency/helplessness, Integrated Acculturation and Bigotry. We explored differences in cultural adaptation across dominant and non-dominant (D/ND) groups in the United States and Spain. Using multivariate analyses, group-based differences were found for the four CADI factors by D/ND membership and gender. Differences in the cultural adaptation of Spanish and U.S. participants are discussed along with implications regarding the role of national cultural climates and instrument development.The study’s cultural and face validity is further discussed in relation to Berry’s (2002), Portes (1999) and other models carrying implications for future assessments of groups’ fit in multicultural contexts.

Keywords:

Acculturation, adjustment, dominant/minority groups, gender/ethnic differences, scale development, learned helplessness, self-esteem, depression, gender.