A Children's Hispanic Background Scale

Abstract

A 10-minute Children's Hispanic Background Scale, useful in identifving Hispanic acculturation level, is described. The 30-item scale assessed Spanish usage by the subject and significant others (23 items), food preference (2 itemns), and general cultural exposure (5 items). Ss were 92 Chicano fourth-grade children. Test-retest reliability was .92, p < .001; validity rs were .50, p < .01, with a school bilingual scale and .58, p < .001, with SES. Reported Spanish usage across three generations yielded highly significant matched-pair ts, and suggested an accelerated acculturationi from grandparents to parents to children. Parents spoke Spanish significantly less often to Ss than in general. General exposure mean lay between parent and child language means. Scale advantages and limitations are discussed.