Assessment of culturally related anxiety in American Indians and Alaska Natives

The present investigation was aimed at developing a means to measure culturally related anxiety in American Indians and Alaska Natives. Initial item selection and factor structure for a self-report instrument, the Native American Cultural Involvement and Detachment Anxiety Questionnaire (CIDAQ), were derived from samples of American Indian and Alaska Native college students representing numerous tribal groups. The factor structure then was replicated in a more homogeneous group of Navajo college students. The scale contains three factors, measuring anxiety about (a) social involvement with Native Americans and cultural knowledge, (b) economic issues, and (c) social involvement with the majority (Caucasian) culture. The scale showed high levels of item-total reliability, internal consistency, as well as convergent and divergent validity. We discuss the CIDAQ, and suggest it isa promising measure for researchers examining culturally related anxiety in American Indians and Alaska Natives, particularly in college counseling and other behavioral health-care centers.