The Development and Validation of the Contemporary Critical Consciousness Measure II

Critical consciousness (CC) has been heralded as an antidote to oppression. Developed by the Brazilian educator, Paulo Freire, CC represents the process by which individuals gain awareness of societal inequities and subsequently take action to dismantle the systems and institutions that sustain them. Empirically supported instruments intended to assess this important construct have only been recently introduced to the literature and have focused specifically on racism, classism, and heterosexism. The purpose of this project was to develop a psychometrically sound measure of CC that expands assessment into sexism, cissexism (genderism/transphobia), and ableism. Two studies with a total of 569 observations provided initial reliability and validity evidence on the Contemporary Critical Consciousness Measure II (CCCMII). Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggest that the final 37-item CCCMII provides a general index of CC as well as assesses CC associated with sexism and ableism above and beyond the general factor. Results support the internal consistency and factor structure of the measure. Expected relationships between the CCCMII and existing measures of sexism, cissexism, and ableism provide evidence for the validity of the instrument. Limitations, future directions for research, and counseling implications are discussed. Public Significance Statement This study demonstrated support for a new measure intended to assess a person's awareness of systems and institutions in U.S. society that serve to oppress certain groups. The CCCMII is designed to specifically assess a person's awareness of sexism and ableism. The authors hope future research on this scale will demonstrate its usefulness in evaluating mental health professionals' sensitivities to these issues.