Cross Racial Identity Scale (CRIS) Scores: Stability and Relationships With Psychological Adjustment

Abstract

We examined the structural validity, internal consistency (alpha and omega), and test–retest reliability of scores on the Cross Racial Identity Scale (CRIS; Vandiver et al., 2000 Tajfel, H. 1981. Human groups and social categories: Studies in social psychology., Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. [Google Scholar]; Worrell, Vandiver, & Cross, 2004 Worrell, F. C. 2008. Nigrescence attitudes in adolescence, emerging adulthood, and adulthood. Journal of Black Psychology,, 34: 156–178. doi:10.1177/0095798408315118[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), as well as the relationship between CRIS scores and several variables related to psychological adjustment. Participants consisted of several groups of African American college students (34 ≤ n ≤ 340) attending a predominantly White university in a Western state. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated an acceptable fit of the data to the theoretical model, and alpha and omega coefficients indicate that CRIS scores have moderate to high internal consistency. CRIS scores also demonstrated stability over periods between 2 and 20 months in ranges that suggest long-term stability of racial attitudes. As predicted by the expanded nigrescence model (Cross & Vandiver, 2001 Cross, W. 1991. Shades of Black: Diversity in African-American identity, Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press. [Google Scholar]), only self-hatred attitudes had consistent, meaningful relationships with psychological adjustment.