Description of the Questionnaire

This tool aims to measure the acculturation strategies adopted by individuals who are situated in intercultural contexts, such as migrants, refugees, or international students. The questionnaire is based on the bidimensional approach of the Vancouver Index of Acculturation (VIA) and consists of 20 statements. The first 10 statements refer to the individual’s relationship with their heritage culture, while the following 10 concern the dominant culture, i.e., the society to which the individual has relocated. Participants are asked to indicate the extent to which they agree with each statement using a scale from 1 (Strongly disagree) to 5 (Strongly agree).

Purpose

The purpose of the questionnaire is to capture the degree of adaptation to the dominant culture, the preservation of elements of the heritage culture, as well as the existence of dual cultural affiliations developed by individuals who live and move within a new social environment. It is primarily used in research settings focused on acculturation, social integration interventions, and the assessment of cultural identity.

Scoring

Responses are given on a five-point scale: 1 = Strongly disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neither agree nor disagree, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly agree. For scoring, the answers to questions 1 through 10 are added to assess attachment to the heritage culture, and the answers to questions 11 through 20 are added to assess adoption of the dominant culture. High scores in both indices indicate biculturalism (integration), high attachment only to the heritage culture indicates separation, high attachment only to the dominant culture indicates assimilation, while low scores in both indices indicate marginalization.

Data Analysis and Use

The data collected can be analyzed statistically by calculating means, standard deviations, and using factor analysis methods to examine the structure of the tool. Additionally, statistical tests such as ANOVA or t-tests may be applied to examine differences between population subgroups. This tool can be used in research projects focused on acculturation, migrant integration, cultural identity, and psychosocial adjustment. It is suitable for use in educational, social, psychological, and anthropological settings.

References

Ryder, A. G., Alden, L. E., & Paulhus, D. L. (2000). Is acculturation unidimensional or bidimensional? A head-to-head comparison in the prediction of personality, self-identity, and adjustment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(1), 49–65.
Berry, J. W. (1997). Immigration, acculturation, and adaptation. Applied Psychology, 46(1), 5–34.
Marin, G., & Gamba, R. J. (1996). A new measurement of acculturation for Hispanics: The Bidimensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (BAS). Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 18(3), 297–316.
Ward, C., Bochner, S., & Furnham, A. (2001). The Psychology of Culture Shock. Routledge.
Suinn, R. M., et al. (1992). The Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 52(4), 1041–1046.