Clusters of CRIS scores and psychological adjustment.

Abstract

Cluster analyses on racial identity attitudes as assessed with the Cross Racial Identity Scale (Vandiver et al., 2000) provided strong support for six theoretically meaningful clusters. We labeled these Afrocentric, Assimilated, Conflicted, Low Race Salience, Negative Race Salience, and Multiculturalist. We also examined whether individuals in different clusters varied on symptoms of psychological distress, as well as personal and status-based rejection sensitivity. Participants in the Conflicted cluster reported greater psychological distress and personal rejection sensitivity than those in the Multiculturalist and Low Race Salience clusters. Our findings suggest that bivariate relationships between nigrescence attitudes and psychological functioning may mask nuances that are evident with person-centered analyses. We discuss the implications of these findings for racial identity research.