Challenges and Resilience in the Lives of Multiracial Adults: The Development and Validation of a Measure
Nazish M. Salahuddin
University of Maryland, College Park
2008
141 pages
Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2008
The purpose of the present study was to develop and validate the Multiracial Challenges and Resilience Scale (MCRS). The MCRS is a measure of the types of challenges (i.e., Others’ Surprise/Disbelief Reactions, Lack of Family Acceptance/Understanding, Multiracial Discrimination, Feelings of Disconnection from Family and Friends) and resilience (i.e., Appreciation of Human Differences, Multiracial Pride) experienced by Multiracial adults. Participants (N = 317) included a national sample of individuals who identified their biological parents as representing two or more different racial groups. All participants resided in large metropolitan areas within the continental United States at the time of data collection. Data were collected through the use of an internet survey containing the MCRS and measures used to assess convergent and discriminant validity. Internal consistency estimates of subscales ranged from .76 to .83. Convergent validity was supported through positive relations of the Challenge subscales with depression and positive relations of the Resilience scales with self-esteem. Discriminant validity was supported through the absence of correlations between the Challenges scales and Orderliness and lack of relationship between the Resilience scales and Social Desirability. Directions for future research and the limitations of this study are discussed.
Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Table of Contents
- List of Tables
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- Theoretical Basis
- Definitions: Race and Racism
- Racism and Multiracial Adults
- Research Summary of Multiracial Challenges and Resilience
- Race-related Challenges
- Positive Adaptations
- Shih and Sanchez (2005): A comprehensive literature review
- Current measures
- Conclusion
- Chapter 2: Review of the Literature
- Resilience Theory and Critical Race Theory
- Resilience Theory
- Resilience and Critical Race Theory
- Race-related Challenges
- Racism
- Social Invalidation
- Negative Psychological Outcomes
- Resilience Gained Through Multiracial Experience
- Enhanced Social Functioning
- Positive Psychological Outcomes
- Shih and Sanchez (2005): A comprehensive Literature Review
- Current Measures
- Conclusion
- Chapter 3: Method and Results
- Phase One: MCRS Item Development
- Phase One Method
- Phase One Hypotheses
- Phase One Results
- Phase Two: Factor Analyses and Initial Reliability and Validity Estimates
- Phase Two Method
- Participants
- Procedure
- Measures
- Phase Two Hypotheses
- Phase Two Analyses
- Phase Two Results
- Demographic Information for Sample A
- Factor analyses for Challenges Scale: Sample A
- Demographic information for Sample B
- Factor analyses for Challenges Scale: Sample B
- Factor analyses for Resilience Scale: Sample A
- Factor analyses for Resilience Scale: Sample B
- Description of Factors on the Multiracial Challenges and Resilience Scale
- Descriptive Analyses: Description of Sample
- Relationships Between Factors on the MCRS
- Phase Three: Additional Reliability Estimates
- Phase Three Method
- Participants
- Procedures
- Measures
- Phase Three Hypotheses
- Phase Three Analysis
- Phase Three Results
- Post Hoc Analyses
- Assessment of Mean Differences in MCRS scores
- Assessment of the Usefulness of MCRS Subscales as Predictors of Self-esteem
- Further investigation of the relationships of Disconnection and Multiracial
- Pride with Self-esteem
- Chapter 4: Discussion
- Description of sample
- Potential Biases in the Data Due to Sampling Procedure
- Hypothesized and actual factor structures of MCRS
- Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the MCRS
- Test Re-test Reliability
- Post-hoc Analyses
- Future Research and Possible Interventions
- Limitations
- Conclusion
- APPENDIX A: Multiracial Challenges and Resilience Scale
- APPENDIX B: Social Connectedness Scale
- APPENDIX C: Satisfaction with Life Scale
- APPENDIX D: Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale
- APPENDIX E: Multi-Ethnic Identity Measure
- APPENDIX F: Social Self-efficacy Scale
- APPENDIX G: Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale
- APPENDIX H: Order
- APPENDIX I: Marlowe-Crown Social Desirability Scale Form C
- APPENDIX J: Demographic Questionnaire
- References
LIST OF TABLES
- Table 1. Final items retained on Challenges scale for Sample A and Sample B
- Table 2. Final items retained on Resilience scale for Sample A and Sample B
- Table 3. Bivariate Correlations Among Scales and Internal Consistency Estimates,Means, Standard Deviations, Actual Ranges, and Possible Ranges of Measured Variables
- Table 4. Test Re-test Reliability Estimates for the Multiracial Risk and Resilience Subscales and Actual Range, Possible Range, and Alpha Coefficients
- Table 5. Summary of Hierarchical Regression Analyses Predicting Self-esteem
- Table 6. Summary of Hierarchical Multiple Regression Analyses Testing Multiracial Pride as a Moderator between Disconnection from Family and Friends and Self-esteem
- Table 7. Summary of Hierarchical Multiple Regression Analyses Testing Self-esteem as a Moderator between Disconnection from Family and Friends and Multiracial Pride
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