Construct validity and reliability of the White Racial Identity Attitude Scale (WRIAS)

Bibliographic Data

ID8095437
AuthorsCharlene M Alexander (corresponding author), J G Buchanan
Year1992
Volume44
Pages243-99
Publication date1992-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
PublisherSpringer Vienna (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/978-3-7091-8714-2_4
OpenAlexW6360831
ISBN9783709187142
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited99

This study was designed to investigate the reliability and validity of the White Racial Identity Attitude Scale (WRIAS) developed by Helms and Carter (1990). The WRIAS purports to measure five stages of White Americans' racial identity development. Participants completed the "K" scale of the MMPI-2, the WRIAS, descriptors of the WRIAS stages (self-descriptors), and a demographic information form. The "K" scale of the MMPI-2 was used in this study as a measure of social desirability. Over 75% of the participants scored within the normal range on the "K" scale. Internal consistency reliability coefficients were obtained for the WRIAS subscales and ranged from.33 (Contact) to.76 (Disintegration). Overall, the reliability of the subscales of the WRIAS ranged from very low to moderate. Additionally, 77.4% of the participants were unclassifiable on any subscale of the WRIAS, when the critical difference between their first highest and second highest scores was used as the criterion for classification. A confirmatory factor analysis of the WRIAS was undertaken and could not be completed because the data failed the test of admissibility. An exploratory factor analysis of the WRIAS indicated that the scale measures five areas of White Americans' racial identity development: (a) Separatist and Superior Attitudes Towards Blacks, (b) Discomfort and Confusion When With Blacks, (c) Desire to Learn Differences Between Blacks and Whites. (d) Reverse Discrimination, and (e) Naivete or Obliviousness About Racial Heritage. The reliabilities of the revised five factor solution (coefficient alpha) were.82,.83,.67,.71, and.49 respectively. The reliabilities were minimally acceptable for factors 1-4, and weak for factor 5. Although, the WRIAS did not reflect the stages of White Americans' racial identity development, it can be reinterpreted in light of the revised five factor solution. Specifically, scores on the five factors correlated with the WRIAS self-descriptors in ways that were congruent with Helms' proposed theory

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