Assessing the Stressful Effects of Racism: A Review of Instrumentation

Abstract

This article reviewed six instruments developed to assess the psychological processes associated with the experience of racism among African Americans. Although the instruments reviewed in this article are relatively new and have not undergone any extensive psychometric scrutiny, all of them contribute to providing the psychological technology necessary to assess the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral consequences of racial discrimination amongAfricanAmericans. The Racism Reaction Scale (RRS), Perceived Racism Scale (PRS), Index of Race-Related Stress (IRRS), Racism and Life Experience Scale-Brief Version (RaLES-B), Schedule of Racist Events (SRE), and the Perceptions of Racism Scale (PoRS) were all reviewed with regard to their initial development, psychometric properties, and practical use. Recommendations for modifications, revisions, and additional reliability and validity evidence are presentedfor each measure.