Vancouver Index of Acculturation – VIA
Measures bidimensional acculturation across heritage and mainstream cultural dimensions.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Vancouver Index of Acculturation – VIA was developed by Andrew G. Ryder, Lynn E. Alden, Delroy L. Paulhus (2000). It is designed to measure Acculturation. The scale is intended for use with Immigrants and ethnic minorities.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Heritage, Mainstream.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Heritage | 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17,19 | 10 |
| Mainstream | 2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20 | 10 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Moderately Disagree, 4 = Slightly Disagree, 5 = Neutral, 6 = Slightly Agree, 7 = Moderately Agree, 8 = Agree, 9 = Strongly Agree.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 10 to 90. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Identification: 10 – 39
- Moderate Identification: 40 – 69
- High Identification: 70 – 90
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Heritage subscale alpha = 0.79, Mainstream subscale alpha = 0.75.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.