Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM)

Materials and Measures

Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM). The MEIM (Phinney, 1992) is a broad measure of ethnic identity across three major dimensions (ethnic identity achievement, affirmation and belonging, ethnic behaviors). Fourteen items are rated on a 4-point scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree) to measure ethnic identity. A higher score on the MEIM represents a greater ethnic identity, while low scores indicate greater assimilation attitudes. For the analysis, the rating for each item will be scored and one total score will used to determine the level of ethnic identification between African Americans and European Americans. In the current study, alpha = .87. Sample items from the MEIM include, “I have

To assess racial identity, the Cross Racial Identity Scale (Cross, Vandiver et al., 2000) was used. According to research by Helms (1990), using the term “racial identity” in the title of an assessment measure can produce subjective responses from participants (Helms, 1990). Therefore, the term “racial identity” is substituted by “social attitudes” on actual CRIS forms. The CRIS is a 40- item scale designed to measure attitudes that correspond to Cross's (Cross, 1995; Cross & Vandiver, 2001) revised Nigrescence Theory. The CRIS scale consists of six subscales: Pre-Encounter Assimilation, Pre-Encounter Miseducation, Pre-Encounter Self-Hatred, Immersion-Emersion Anti-White, Internalization Afrocentricity, and Internalization Multiculturalist Inclusive. The CRIS uses a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). Convergent validity of CRIS scores has been reported through correlations with the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity (Vandiver et al., 2000). CRIS Internal consistencies for the CRIS have been reported to range

The EDI (Garner, Olmsted, & Polivy, 1982) is a 64-item self-report measure of symptoms commonly associated with AN and BN. The EDI is composed of eight scales: (a) Drive for Thinness, (b) Bulimia, (c) Body Dissatisfaction, (d) Ineffectiveness, (e) Perfectionism, (f) Interpersonal Distrust, (g) Interoceptive Awareness, and (h) Maturity Fears. Respondents are asked to indicate whether each item applied to them on a 6-point scale (always (1), usually (2), often (3), sometimes (4), rarely (5), or never (6)). These responses are then recoded into transformed scores. Transformed scores are recoded from the 6-point scale into a 4-point scale ranging from 0 through 3 in which 0 is assigned to the three responses that represent the least symptomatic answers, and 3 represents the most symptomatic answer (Garner, 1991). The ratings for subscales (a) Drive for Thinness and (b) Bulimia will each be scored and separate sum scores will be used to determine the degree of eating pathology for African American women and European American women. In the current study, alpha = .75 and .60,