Validation of the Scale of Ethnic Experience-Short Form Scores Among Asian Americans: Evidence of Measurement Invariance, Validity, and Reliability

Valid and reliable tools are needed to understand the ethnic experience of Asian Americans. This study examined the internal structural validity, convergent/divergent validity, criterion validity, as well as reliability of the Scale of Ethnic Experience-Short Form (SEE-SF) scores among Asian American adults. Participants were 346 Asian American adults (55% male, 43% female; mean age = 36) recruited via Prolific, representing multiple Asian ethnicities and immigration status. Analyses included confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), multigroup invariance testing, and structural equation modeling. The CFA model demonstrated the structure of SEE-SF, and measurement invariances was established across gender groups. Demographic features (e.g., income, education, immigration status) were associated with ethnic experiences. Findings also showed convergent, divergent, and criterion validity with existing measures. The SEE-SF yields valid and reliable scores for assessing ethnic experience among Asian Americans, providing a valuable tool to capture their lived experience and identity development. Clinical implications were discussed.