Adapting the Colonial Mentality Scale for Mexican-Origin Emerging Adults

Colonial mentality is one of the most damaging effects of colonization, where colonizers are perceived as superior to the colonized people’s culture, society, and heritage (David & Okazaki, 2006a). In this study, we apply a postcolonial lens to the lived experiences of 205 Mexican-origin emerging adults in the United States (72% women) to examine the psychometric properties of a revised version of the Colonial Mentality Scale (CMS-M). Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the CMS’s underlying factor structure, including additional items measuring anti-Black features. Convergent and discriminant validity analyses assessed whether the dimensions of the modified CMS were theoretically distinct in terms of the intergroup outcomes they best predicted. Mean differences for demographic factors such as gender and immigrant generation for the modified CMS scale were also examined. Finally, the association of the new CMS subscales with mental health was examined. Results of exploratory factor analysis supported a modified four-factor (30-item) version of the CMS (CMS-M), which includes new items assessing anti-Black features. Convergent validity was supported for the CMS-M, and discriminant validity was partially supported. Women endorsed more internalized cultural/ethnic inferiority than men. Projecting Cultural Shame via Discrimination and Internalized Cultural/Ethnic Inferiority were associated with poorer mental health. This research extends our theoretical understanding of colonial mentality with Mexican-origin emerging adults, which has important implications for mental health research and practice with this population.