Development and evaluation of the Internalized Racism in Asian Americans Scale (IRAAS)
Abstract
This article presents the development and psychometric evaluation of the Internalized Racism in Asian Americans Scale (IRAAS), which was designed to measure the degree to which Asian Americans internalized hostile attitudes and negative messages targeted toward their racial identity. Items were developed on basis of prior literature, vetted through expert feedback and cognitive interviews, and administered to 655 Asian American participants through Amazon Mechanical Turk. Exploratory factor analysis with a random subsample (n = 324) yielded a psychometrically robust preliminary measurement model consisting of 3 factors: Self-Negativity, Weakness Stereotypes, and Appearance Bias. Confirmatory factor analysis with a separate subsample (n = 331) indicated that the proposed correlated factors model was strongly consistent with the observed data. Factor determinacies were high and demonstrated that the specified items adequately measured their intended factors. Bifactor modeling further indicated that this multidimensionality could be univocally represented for the purpose of measurement, including the use of a mean total score representing a single continuum of internalized racism on which individuals vary. The IRAAS statistically predicted depressive symptoms, and demonstrated statistically significant correlations in theoretically expected directions with four dimensions of collective self-esteem. These results provide initial validity evidence supporting the use of the IRAAS to measure aspects of internalized racism in this population. Limitations and research implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Internalized racism among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders can be viewed as an adaptive mechanism in that assimilation into Eurocentric culture or occupying White spaces may help them feel less devalued and more capable of being successful in the United States.
“Internalized racism among AAPIs can be viewed as an adaptive mechanism in that assimilation into Eurocentric culture or occupying White spaces may help them feel less devalued and more capable of being successful in the United States of America [24,26].”
From Internalized Racism and Mental Health: The Moderating Role of Collective Racial Self-Esteem (2024) · cites this paper as [26]
Internalized racism is evidenced to contribute to poor physical and psychological distress for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
“Internalized racism is evidenced to contribute to poor physical [21] and psychological distress [28] for AAPIs, for example, psychological distress and social isolation [26] as well as depression and anxiety [1,29,30].”
From Internalized Racism and Mental Health: The Moderating Role of Collective Racial Self-Esteem (2024) · cites this paper as [26]
Low self-esteem is associated with social- or race-specific stereotypical misrepresentations of Asian Americans.
“Additionally, low self-esteem is associated with social- or race-specific stereotypical misrepresentations of Asian Americans [26,31].”
From Internalized Racism and Mental Health: The Moderating Role of Collective Racial Self-Esteem (2024) · cites this paper as [26]
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Internalized Racism and Mental Health: The Moderating Role of Collective Racial Self-Esteem
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- Authors
- Choi, A. Y., Israel, T., & Maeda, H.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Santa Barbara (US)
- University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Counseling Psychology
- Published
- 2017-01
- Volume
- 64
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 52-64
- ISSN
- 0022-0167 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-2168
- OpenAlex
- W2570212611
- Cited by
- 70
- References
- 83
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 8.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- correction (2019-07-08)
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Counseling Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Ray E. Hosford Foundation
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Keywords
- internalized racism, Asian Americans, scale development, psychometric validation, self-negativity, appearance bias, depressive symptoms, collective self-esteem, racial identity
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Asian, Depression, Female, Gender Identity, Hostility, Humans, Internal-External Control, Male, Middle Aged, Psychometrics, Surveys and Questionnaires, Self Concept, Stereotyping, Young Adult, Racism
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