Development and Validation of the Latina American Shifting Scale (LASS)

The present research developed and validated a new measure of Latina American shifting (the Latina American Shifting Scale, LASS) or the self-altering coping strategies employed by some Latina American women. A 17-item instrument was developed to measure various facets of shifting phenomena based on a review of the literature, focus group feedback, and cultural experts. An initial validation study, using principal components analysis and promax rotation, was conducted with a national sample of 582 Latina Americans that reduced the initial set of 37 items to 17 items that assessed three constructs. A second independent national sample of 448 Latina Americans provided support for the 3-component structure using a confirmatory factor analysis. The final version of the new 17-item inventory comprised the following three subscales: Cultural Presentation Appropriateness, Language Appropriateness, and Appealing to the White Ideal. Implications for future research are discussed.