The multidimensional model of Māori identity and cultural engagement: Measurement equivalence across diverse Māori groups

The Multidimensional Model of Māori Identity and Cultural Engagement (or MMM-ICE2) is a self-report questionnaire that measures seven distinct dimensions of one’s subjective identity as Māori. Prior research indicates that the scale performs well psychometrically and predicts a wide range of outcomes for Māori peoples. However, the measurement equivalence of the MMM-ICE2 is yet to be assessed. That is, the extent to which the scale provides comparable measurement of the same aspects of identity for all Māori, for instance, across different age groups, for Māori men and women, and for Māori living in different urban or rural regions. Here, we address this gap in the validation of the MMM-ICE2 using Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis to assess the configural, metric, and scalar equivalence of the scale across different demographic groups. We test our models using data from Māori participants who completed the MMM-ICE2 as part of the broader New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (N = 696). Results indicate that the scale has reasonable measurement equivalence over metric, configural, and scalar assessments across most demographic comparisons. In sum, the results indicate that the MMM-ICE2 provides a valid assessment tool for Māori across a range of contexts, but nevertheless points to ways in which the scale could be improved in future.

Citation

New Zealand journal of psychology, 2017, 46 (1), pp. 24 - 35

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