Description

The Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanic Youth (SASH-Y-12) is a concise, 12-item instrument designed to measure the level of acculturation in Hispanic youth. It was developed to provide a quick assessment of acculturation, focusing on language use, media preferences, and social relations. The scale is particularly useful in public health, psychology, and educational research to assess how Hispanic youth navigate and integrate into American culture while maintaining ties to their cultural heritage.

Data Analysis and Use

The SASH-Y-12 data can be used to assess various dimensions of acculturation, which is crucial for understanding the relationship between acculturation levels and outcomes like mental health, academic performance, and social integration. The scale measures acculturation across three subdomains:
Language Use: This includes questions about the preferred language at home, with friends, and while thinking.
Media Preferences: This evaluates the language of media consumed, such as TV shows and newspapers.
Social Relations: This assesses the cultural background of close friends and social interactions.
Researchers typically analyze SASH-Y-12 data using statistical methods such as exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to validate the scale’s structure or regression analysis to examine the relationship between acculturation and other variables. Descriptive statistics can provide insights into the acculturation patterns among Hispanic youth populations.

Calibration

Calibration of the SASH-Y-12 involves ensuring that the scale is culturally relevant and statistically reliable across different subgroups of Hispanic youth. This process might involve:
Reliability Testing: Checking the internal consistency of the scale using Cronbach’s alpha to ensure that the items reliably measure the concept of acculturation.
Validity Testing: Conducting content, construct, and criterion validity tests to confirm that the scale accurately reflects acculturation and correlates well with other established measures of acculturation.
Cultural Sensitivity: Revising the items to ensure they are appropriate and sensitive to the diverse experiences of Hispanic youth from different countries of origin, socioeconomic statuses, and generational statuses.

Bibliography

Marín, G., Sabogal, F., VanOss Marín, B., Otero-Sabogal, R., & Perez-Stable, E. J. (1987). Development of a Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 9(2), 183-205. DOI: 10.1177/07399863870092005
Cuellar, I., Arnold, B., & Maldonado, R. (1995). Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans-II: A Revision of the Original ARSMA Scale. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 17(3), 275-304. DOI: 10.1177/07399863950173001
Gonzalez, R., Knight, G. P., Morgan-Lopez, A., Saenz, D. S., & Sirolli, A. (2002). Acculturation and Enculturation Among Latino Youth. American Psychological Association, 56(1), 33-50. DOI: 10.1037/0002-9432.56.1.33
Schwartz, S. J., Unger, J. B., Zamboanga, B. L., & Szapocznik, J. (2010). Rethinking the Concept of Acculturation: Implications for Theory and Research. American Psychologist, 65(4), 237-251. DOI: 10.1037/a0019330