The generation and evaluation of a scale to measure racial identity attitudes in a clinical and non-clinical Black British population

Abstract

Previous research has hypothesised a five-stage cognitive developmental process of racial attitude identity development amongst African-Americans (called Nigresence). Using this framework, the current study attempted to develop a pilot device (the RIAS-B (UK), to investigate and measure Nigresence in Britons of African and African-Caribbean origin. One hundred and three people were accessed, 82 non-Clinical and 21 Clinical. It was hypothesised that individuals in the non-Clinical group would display more mature racial identity attitudes than individuals in the Clinical group. Using the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale and the Internality, Powerful Others and Chance Scale, it was also hypothesised that: (a) more mature racial attitude identity development in the non-Clinical group would be reflected in higher levels of Self-esteem and greater internal Locus of Control; and (b) less mature racial attitude identity development in the Clinical group would be reflected in lower Self-esteem and greater external Locus of Control. Results showed no firm relationship between racial identity development. Self-esteem and Locus of Control in either group. Hypotheses were therefore not accepted. However, on the basis of a Principal Components Factor Analysis of responses to the RIAS-B (UK), a two-stage developmental model of racial attitude identity development is proposed These stages appear to reflect conflict about respondents' ability to develop an identity which was both Black and British. Results of the current study thus suggest that employing a cognitive-developmental model may a be fruitful way of understanding racial identity attitude development (Nigresence) amongst Black Britons. However, it is also proposed that Services may need to modify both the conceptualisation and practice of therapy, to account for this.