Evaluating the Psychometric Properties of a Measure of Ethnic Identity Among Black South African Youth

Abstract

The authors examined the dimensionality and psychometric properties of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) among Black South African adolescents (ages = 13-14; 52% female) representing several ethnic groups (Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu) and evaluated the measure for differential item functioning primarily among four ethnic groups (Sotho, Tswana, Xhosa, and Zulu). Results indicated that a twodimensional model best represented the data, reflecting ethnic search/clarity and ethnic affirmations. Subsequently, we evaluated the equivalence of the MEIM among the four South African ethnic groups and a sample of African American adolescents (M age = 15.57 years; SD = 1.22; 51% female). Further analyses revealed that configural and metric models were excellent across the four South African ethnic groups and the African American group. However, scalar invariance (i.e., intercept) was not found; the item intercepts were different for the South African ethnic groups and African Americans. Findings are discussed with consideration for conducting research on ethnic identity among youth in South Africa.

Mexican-origin 5-year-old children’s ethnic-racial identity centrality and attitudes predicting social functioning.

“…Research on ERI has exploded in recent decades, especially among adolescent samples (e.g., Derlan & Umaña-Taylor, 2015; Hughes, Hagelskamp, et al, 2009; Loyd et al, 2019; Zeiders et al, 2018). ERI is different in adolescence than early childhood given that adolescents have different developmental capabilities and experiences that shape their ERI (e.g., increased autonomy to select peers and activities; Umaña-Taylor et al, 2014).…”