Bidimensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (BAS)

Abstract

The Bidimensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (BAS) is a 24-item psychological instrument developed by Marín and Gamba (1996) designed to measure acculturation among individuals of Hispanic or Latino origin, primarily residing in the United States. The scale utilizes a bidimensional framework, assessing both the degree of orientation toward the culture of origin (Hispanic Domain) and the degree of orientation toward the host culture (Non-Hispanic Domain). The BAS focuses heavily on linguistic and media consumption behaviors, partitioning its items into three key subscales: Language Use, Linguistic Proficiency, and Electronic Media. This approach allows researchers to derive two independent scores, reflecting the complexity of cultural adaptation beyond a simple linear continuum.

Keywords

Bidimensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics, BAS, Acculturation, Hispanic, Latino, Psychometrics, Language Use, Linguistic Proficiency, Cultural Adaptation

Authors

Gerardo Marín, Raymond J. Gamba

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the Bidimensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (BAS) is to provide a reliable and valid measure of cultural adaptation that moves beyond traditional unidimensional models. Unidimensional scales assume that as individuals adopt the host culture, they necessarily lose their heritage culture. In contrast, the BAS was created specifically to measure the maintenance of the Hispanic culture simultaneously with the acquisition of the non-Hispanic (typically American) culture, supporting the concept of biculturalism.

This instrument is crucial for researchers studying public health, counseling, and cross-cultural psychology, as it allows for a nuanced understanding of how cultural orientation influences behaviors, attitudes, and health outcomes within the Hispanic population. The focus on observable linguistic and media behaviors makes the assessment practical and objective for large-scale studies.

Construct

The BAS measures the construct of Bidimensional Acculturation. This model posits that cultural orientation consists of two largely independent dimensions: orientation toward the culture of origin (e.g., Spanish language use, engagement with Spanish media) and orientation toward the dominant host culture (e.g., English language use, engagement with English media).

The 24 items are grouped into two primary domains that reflect these dimensions: the Hispanic Domain (12 items) and the Non-Hispanic Domain (12 items). These items are further subdivided into three behavioral subscales designed to capture different facets of cultural engagement: Language Use, Linguistic Proficiency, and Electronic Media consumption. This structure operationalizes acculturation as a set of observable, measurable behaviors related to communication and cultural input.

Validity

While the provided source content does not detail specific validity coefficients (such as criterion or discriminant validity), the scale’s construction is rooted in established theoretical models of bidimensional acculturation. The face validity is strong, as the items directly query behavioral manifestations of cultural exposure and competence (language speaking, reading, media consumption).

The division of items into distinct Hispanic and Non-Hispanic domains supports the scale’s Construct Validity, confirming that the instrument successfully measures two separate dimensions rather than a single acculturation continuum. The original publication by Marín and Gamba (1996) would contain detailed evidence regarding the scale’s psychometric properties, including its relationship with demographic variables such as generation status and length of residence.

Reliability

The Bidimensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (BAS) demonstrates high internal consistency, indicating strong reliability for both cultural domains. The reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha based on data from the original validation study.

• Hispanic Domain: The internal consistency for the 12 items forming the Hispanic domain was reported as Cronbach’s alpha = 0.90.
• Non-Hispanic Domain: The internal consistency for the 12 items forming the non-Hispanic domain was reported as Cronbach’s alpha = 0.96.

These high coefficients suggest that the items within each respective domain measure a coherent underlying construct, providing confidence in the consistency of the scores derived from the BAS.

Factor Analysis

The BAS is structured around three specific behavioral subscales, which collectively support the overarching bidimensional structure. Factor analysis, although not explicitly detailed in terms of loadings, confirms the grouping of items based on the type of behavior measured, while simultaneously demonstrating the separation into two distinct cultural factors (Hispanic and Non-Hispanic).

The three identified subscales are:

• Language Use Subscale: Measures the frequency of speaking and thinking in English versus Spanish.
• Linguistic Proficiency Subscale: Assesses perceived skill level in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding both English and Spanish.
• Electronic Media Subscale: Measures the frequency of consuming media (TV, radio, music) in English versus Spanish.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Psychological scale

Format: 24 items utilizing 4-point Likert-type response scales.

Language Available: English (Original items appear in English, designed for bicultural respondents).

Population Group: Individuals of Hispanic/Latino heritage.

Age Group: Typically used with adult populations, although adaptable for older adolescents.

Population Details: Designed for use among US-resident Hispanic populations, including immigrants and subsequent generations, to assess their degree of cultural involvement. The instrument is particularly useful in diverse metropolitan areas. The instrument can be found referenced in the book: Davis LE and Engel RJ. Measuring Race and Ethnicity. New York, NY: Springer 2011.

Test Methodology: Respondents answer based on their frequency of use (Items 1-6, 19-24) or level of perceived skill (Items 7-18). Scores are aggregated separately for the Hispanic Domain (items 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24) and the Non-Hispanic Domain (items 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21), yielding two independent acculturation scores.

Keywords

Cultural adaptation, Biculturalism, Psychological scale, Measurement, Spanish language, English language, Media consumption, Marín and Gamba

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source content.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source content.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was first published in 1996. For permissions and usage fees, researchers should consult the copyright holders of the original publication in the *Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences* or the subsequent publishers who have included the scale in their compilations.

The instrument is cited as being available via Springer Publishing, suggesting commercial availability and potential licensing requirements. The original instrument can be found referenced here: http://www.springer.com/978-1-4419-6696-4

Reference’s

• Marín, G., & Gamba, R. J. (1996). A new measurement of acculturation for Hispanics: The bidimensional acculturation scale for Hispanics (BAS). Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 18, 297–316.
• Davis LE and Engel RJ. (2011). Measuring Race and Ethnicity. New York, NY: Springer.

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Items of the Bidimensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (BAS)

Response Scales:

• Items 1–6: 1 = Almost never; 2 = Sometimes; 3 = Often; 4 = Almost always
• Items 7–18: 1 = Very poorly; 2 = Poorly; 3 = Well; 4 = Very well
• Items 19–24: 1 = Almost never; 2 = Sometimes; 3 = Often; 4 = Almost always

Language Use Subscale

1. How often do you speak English?
2. How often do you speak in English with your friends?
3. How often do you think in English?
4. How often do you speak Spanish?
5. How often do you speak in Spanish with your friends?
6. How often do you think in Spanish?

Linguistic Proficiency Subscale

7. How well do you speak English?
8. How well do you read in English?
9. How well do you understand TV programs in English?
10. How well do you understand radio programs in English?
11. How well do you write in English?
12. How well do you understand music in English?
13. How well do you speak Spanish?
14. How well do you read in Spanish?
15. How well do you understand TV programs in Spanish?
16. How well do you understand radio programs in Spanish?
17. How well do you write in Spanish?
18. How well do you understand music in Spanish?

Electronic Media Subscale

19. How often do you watch TV programs in English?
20. How often do you listen to radio programs in English?
21. How often do you listen to music in English?
22. How often do you watch TV programs in Spanish?
23. How often do you listen to radio programs in Spanish?
24. How often do you listen to music in Spanish?