Family Schema-Ethnic (FSCH-E)

Abstract

The Family Schema-Ethnic (FSCH-E) scale is a psychological scale developed to assess the core beliefs, values, and worldviews—or family schema—that families hold concerning their ethnic identity, cultural heritage, and relationship with the surrounding environment and community. Developed primarily within the context of family stress, coping, and resilience research, the FSCH-E provides insights into how cultural roots and shared family belief systems influence appraisal processes and adaptation strategies during times of crisis. The scale is particularly useful for studying diverse populations, focusing on dimensions such as environmental stewardship, familial interdependence, and the maintenance of cultural practices.

Keywords

Family Schema-Ethnic, FSCH-E, family assessment, ethnic identity, cultural roots, coping, adaptation, family resilience, collectivism, worldview.

Authors

Hamilton I. McCubbin, Anne I. Thompson, Kathleen M. Elver, Karen Carpenter

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the Family Schema-Ethnic (FSCH-E) scale is to empirically measure the extent to which families adhere to specific ethnic and cultural schemas. These schemas represent fundamental, shared beliefs that guide family interactions, decision-making, and responses to stress. By quantifying these deeply held values, the instrument helps researchers and clinicians understand the mediating role of culture and ethnicity in family adjustment and health outcomes. It operationalizes the concept of family worldview as a crucial resource for coping and resilience.

The scale aids in identifying patterns of belief related to specific domains, such as the importance of environmental preservation, the role of elders and children, the priority of family needs over individual goals, and the active maintenance of cultural traditions (e.g., through language, music, and storytelling). These insights are vital for culturally sensitive clinical practice and for developing interventions that leverage inherent family strengths derived from their cultural heritage.

Construct

The FSCH-E measures the construct of Family Schema-Ethnic, defined as the collective, enduring cognitive framework through which a family interprets experiences and organizes behavior, deeply informed by its ethnic and cultural background. This framework encompasses several dimensions, often reflecting a blend of traditional values and modern adaptations. Key theoretical components measured by the FSCH-E include:

• Familial Interdependence and Collectivism: The prioritization of the family unit and community needs over individual aspirations (Items 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 28, 29).
• Cultural Maintenance and Identity: The active efforts to preserve and celebrate ethnic/cultural roots through traditions, language, music, dance, and history (Items 13, 14, 15, 16, 25, 31, 36, 37, 40).
• Environmental Stewardship: A worldview emphasizing the spiritual and practical connection to the land, water, and air, and the responsibility of the family to protect the environment (Items 1, 5, 20, 27, 33).
• Respect for Hierarchy and Kinship: The valuation and respect given to elders and the importance of extended family in decision-making and guidance (Items 23, 29, 35).
• Child Rearing and Values: Beliefs surrounding the role and discipline of children, balancing respect with perceived need for strictness (Items 4, 8, 24, 30, 38).

Validity

Specific details regarding the psychometric properties of the FSCH-E are primarily documented in the comprehensive volumes edited by McCubbin and colleagues. Initial validity studies, often using samples of American Indian and other ethnically diverse populations, focused on content and construct validity. The scale items were developed based on extensive qualitative research and theoretical models of family stress and adaptation, ensuring strong content relevance to ethnic and cultural worldviews.

Construct validity has been supported by demonstrating expected correlations between FSCH-E subscales and measures of family coping, sense of coherence, and overall family well-being. For instance, higher scores on factors related to cultural maintenance and collectivism are typically associated with greater family resilience and positive youth outcomes in studies involving specific cultural groups, as highlighted in dissertation research utilizing the instrument (e.g., Phan, 2012).

Reliability

The reliability of the FSCH-E is generally assessed using internal consistency measures, such as Cronbach’s alpha, across the identified subscales derived from factor analysis. While specific alpha values vary depending on the population tested and the identified factor structure, the instrument has consistently demonstrated acceptable to strong internal consistency in diverse ethnic samples, particularly for the key dimensions of cultural commitment and environmental beliefs. The stability of the scale (test-retest reliability) is expected to be high, given that family schemas represent fundamental, stable belief systems, though specific longitudinal data should be consulted in the primary source material (McCubbin et al., 1996).

Factor Analysis

The FSCH-E, composed of 40 items, is designed to capture a multifaceted construct, suggesting that factor analysis is necessary to delineate its underlying structure. Research has generally supported a multi-factor model rather than a single global score. While the precise factor structure can vary slightly across different ethnic groups, common factors identified generally align with the theoretical components of the construct, including dimensions such as: 1) Cultural Preservation/Ethnic Identity, 2) Familial Responsibility/Collectivism, and 3) Environmental/Spiritual Connection to Land. Researchers are advised to perform confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) when applying the scale to novel populations to ensure the factor structure remains robust and culturally appropriate.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-Report Inventory / Psychological scale

Format: 40 items, typically scored on a Likert-type scale. Two distinct scoring formats are noted in the source material: either a 4-point scale (0 = False to 3 = True) or a 5-point scale (1 = Not true at all to 5 = Very true).

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: Families, adolescents, and adults, often utilized in studies focusing on specific ethnic or Indigenous populations (e.g., American Indian, African American, Asian American families).

Age Group: Typically administered to adult family members or youth capable of understanding complex attitudinal statements.

Population Details: Used extensively in research concerning family resiliency, stress, and coping mechanisms within culturally diverse and marginalized groups, where ethnic identity plays a protective role.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate the degree to which each statement reflects their family’s beliefs or practices. The instrument is usually administered in a paper-and-pencil format or electronically, requiring approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

Keywords

Family values, cultural socialization, environmental consciousness, spiritual beliefs, intergenerational relationships, family appraisal, coping inventory, schema, family well-being, cultural trauma.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Information not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Information not provided in source content.

Correspondence Address: Correspondence is typically directed through the primary research center associated with Hamilton I. McCubbin’s work on family resiliency, previously at the University of Wisconsin and later through other affiliated institutions.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1992 (Initial development by McCubbin, Thompson, Elver, and Carpenter).

Permissions: The instrument is often available for research use, frequently through the McCubbin Resilience Center or via the publications where it is cataloged (e.g., Fischer & Corcoran, 2007). Researchers should contact the copyright holders for formal permission and licensing requirements, particularly for commercial or large-scale applications.

Fee: Fees vary depending on the intended use (academic vs. clinical/commercial). The instrument can be found referenced at http://www.mccubbinresilience.org/measures.html.

Reference’s

• Fischer, Joel., Corcoran, Kevin J. (2007). Measures for Clinical Practice and Research: A sourcebook. (4th ed.). NY: Oxford University Press. Vol. 1, Page(s): 320-322.
• McCubbin HI, Thompson AI, Elver KM and Carpenter K (1992) ‘Family Schema-Ethnic (FSCH-E). In McCubbin HI, Thompson AI and McCubbin MA (eds) (1996) Family assessment: Resiliency, coping and adaptation: Inventories for research and practice, pp.713-721, Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin.
• McCubbin HI and Patterson J (1983) Family Member Well-being Index (FMWB). In McCubbin HI, Thompson AI and McCubbin MA (eds) (1996) Family assessment: Resiliency, coping and adaptation: Inventories for research and practice, pp.753-782, Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin.
• McCubbin HI, Thompson AI, Thompson EA, Elver KM and McCubbin MA (1998) Ethnicity, schema and coherence: Appraisal processes for families in crisis. In McCubbin HI, Thompson EA, Thompson AI and Fromer JE (eds) Stress, coping and health in families: Sense of coherence and resiliency, pp.41-67.
• McCubbin HI, Thompson AI and McCubbin MA (1996) Family assessment: Resiliency, coping and adaptation. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin.
• McCubbin LD and McCubbin HI (2005) Culture and ethnic identity in family resilience: Dynamic processes in trauma and transformation of Indigenous People. In Unger M (ed) Pathways to Resilience, pp. 27-44, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Phan, Tatum K. (2012). Exploring the Influence of Family Worldview and Cultural Socialization on Positive Outcomes in American Indian Youth. University of Oregon. Doctoral dissertation.

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Items of the Family Schema-Ethnic (FSCH-E)

Scoring Note: Items are typically rated on a Likert scale, either 0=False to 3=True, or 1=Not true at all to 5=Very true.

1. We believe that the land we live on is an important part of who we are.
2. If we have more than we need, we share with others.
3. We give up things we want for the good of others.
4. Children are precious because they carry our spirit on to the future.
5. We believe that if we destroy the land, water and air, we are hurting ourselves.
6. We will sacrifice personal goals for the family.
7. We help each other without being asked.
8. We believe children need strict discipline.
9. We don’t hold grudges, we forgive and move on.
10. We expect members to place the needs of family first.
11. When there are problems, family members will come home to help out.
12. We encourage family members to take advantage of opportunities even if it means moving away.
13. Our ethnic/cultural roots (e.g., being White, American, African American, Asian) give strength to us.
14. Music teaches us about our ethnic/cultural roots.
15. Dance teaches us about our ethnic/cultural roots.
16. Using our native language helps us appreciate and value our ethnic/cultural roots.
17. When we try to fit in, we lose our identity.
18. We don’t make a big deal of things.
19. In our family, we do not keep secrets for very long.
20. We believe that all families must take care of the land, water and air.
21. When we try to fit in, we lose our self-respect.
22. We do things for pleasure, not for personal gain.
23. We value and respect our elders (grandparents, parents, other older adults, etc).
24. Children are respected.
25. We do a lot to hold on to our ethnic/cultural identity and beliefs.
26. We are easygoing and open to others.
27. We believe that the future will depend on our taking care of the land, water and air.
28. We believe that giving to others or sharing is important.
29. Grandparents, aunts, and uncles have some say in the decision we make.
30. We teach children to support each other.
31. Storytelling is how we pass on information about our ethnic and/or cultural roots.
32. We are taught not to say anything that might upset others.
33. We only take from the land and water what we feel is necessary.
34. Happiness is more important than success.
35. We teach our children to listen to our elders and their opinions.
36. We practice and believe in traditions and celebrations.
37. We try to make our ethnic/cultural roots a part of our daily lives.
38. Children should be seen and not heard.
39. We believe it is good to say what we feel or think in front of others.
40. We are interested in the history of our family.