Acculturation Index – AI
Measures an individual's acculturation orientation along two independent dimensions: Heritage Acculturation and Host Acculturation.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Acculturation Index – AI was developed by Colleen Ward & Allen Rana-Deuba (1999). It is designed to measure Acculturation Orientation. The scale is intended for use with Immigrants, refugees, international students, and ethnic minorities.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 42 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Heritage Acculturation, Host Acculturation.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Heritage Acculturation | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21 | 21 |
| Host Acculturation | 22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42 | 21 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree).
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 21 to 147. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low orientation: 21 – 84
- High orientation: 85 – 147
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from .70 to .80.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.