Stephenson Multigroup Acculturation Scale – SMAS
Measures acculturation level across two distinct dimensions: immersion in one's ethnic society and immersion in the dominant society.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Stephenson Multigroup Acculturation Scale – SMAS was developed by Margaret Stephenson (1998). It is designed to measure Acculturation. The scale is intended for use with Multiethnic and multicultural individuals.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 32 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Ethnic Society Immersion (ESI), Dominant Society Immersion (DSI).
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Ethnic Society Immersion (ESI) | 1,3,6,8,9,10,12,14,15,16,18,20,21,24,25,27,28 | 17 |
| Dominant Society Immersion (DSI) | 2,4,5,7,11,13,17,19,22,23,26,29,30,31,32 | 15 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = False, 2 = Partly false, 3 = Partly true, 4 = True.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 1 to 4. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Immersion: 1 – 2
- High Immersion: 3 – 4
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of ESI alpha = .86, DSI alpha = .97.
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.