The Mexican American Cultural Values Scale for Adolescents and Adults

Abstract

This research evaluates the properties of a measure of culturally linked values of Mexican Americans in early adolescence and adulthood. The article discusses the items derived from qualitative data provided by focus groups in which Mexican Americans’ (adolescents, mothers, and fathers) perceptions of key values were discussed. The focus groups and a preliminary item refinement result in the 50-item Mexican American Cultural Values Scale (MACVS; identical for adolescents and adults) that includes 9 subscales. Analyses of data from two large previously published studies sampling Mexican American adolescents, mothers, and fathers provide evidence of the expected two correlated higher order factor structures, reliability, and construct validity of the subscales of the MACVS as indicators of values that are frequently associated with Mexican/Mexican American culture. The utility of this measure for use in longitudinal research and in resolving some important theoretical questions regarding dual cultural adaptation is discussed.