Abstract
The Short Acculturation Scale (SAS) has been widely used for assessing the level of the acculturation of migrants in Western countries. However, the validity of SAS for use in cosmopolitan settings without a single prevailing culture is unclear. We examined the validity and reliability of a version of the SAS adapted to a multi-ethnic Asian society. We used cross-sectional data from 12,610 Singaporean citizens and permanent residents, aged 21–75 years, of Chinese, Malay, and Indian ethnicity. Our version used 11 items, with 5 questions on language use, 3 on media use, and 3 on ethnic social relations, to measure acculturation. Our version of the SAS had good internal consistency. The three-factor CFA model had a good fit to our data. The results from the multiple group CFA supported metric invariance and partial scalar invariance across the three ethnic groups. The total score was positively correlated with generation in Singapore and the number of languages spoken. Among first generation immigrants, country of origin, but not the duration of residence was significantly associated with the acculturation score. Our three-factor version of the SAS is a reliable and valid tool for measuring acculturation in Singapore residents. These findings indicate that adapted SAS can be used to assess acculturation in multicultural settings.
Highlights
Acculturation is a complex and multidimensional process that involves psychological, social, behavioral, and cultural changes by migrants to adopt a new or different cultural context over time [1,2]
We adapted the 12-item Short Acculturation Scales (SAS) for Hispanics, which was originally developed for Hispanics in the U.S [26] and subsequently validated for Chinese [28], Filipino [30], and Korean [27] immigrants to the U.S, and Pakistani women in
We examined the model fit for the uni-factor, the bi-factor, the two-factor and the three-factor model using the following indices: p-value of χ2 statistic, comparative fit index (CFI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), and Tucker–Lewis Index (TLI)
Summary
Acculturation is a complex and multidimensional process that involves psychological, social, behavioral, and cultural changes by migrants to adopt a new or different cultural context over time [1,2]. The process of acculturation takes place when migrants adjust to and adopt the host or dominant culture’s values, behaviors, and attitudes [3,4]. Berry (1997) introduced a bidimensional acculturation model involving four modes of acculturation, based on individuals’ attitudes toward their own ethnic group and the dominant group: assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalization [1]. It has been suggested that acculturation could be a risk or protective factor with respect to health among immigrants. Acculturation may influence mental and physical health due to lifestyle changes and psychological distress in immigrant populations [5,6]. A systematic review on mental health by Koneru at el. (2007)
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