Theorizing and assessing racial-ethnic-cultural (rec) belonging among People of Color

The purpose of this dissertation was to develop a conceptual framework and measure of racial-ethnic-cultural (REC) belonging for Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) across three phases of research represented by two interrelated studies. Phase 1 includes Study 1 of the research, which offers a phenomenologically grounded framework of REC belonging based upon findings from 61 BIPOC undergraduate and graduate students, who participated in one of 12 focus groups or an individual interview. Using grounded theory methodology, I identified Coming Home as the common core experience of REC belonging for BIPOC, which comprises three interrelated dimensions: connection, acceptance, and authenticity. Phases 2 and 3 comprise Study 2 and Studies 3a, 3b, and 3c of the research, and include the construction and validation of the iBelong Scale, which was designed to assess the multidimensional components of REC belonging across diverse BIPOC groups. I drafted the iBelong Scale items based on Phase 1 findings, and feedback from community members and content experts was solicited. Data from 808 BIPOC participants were collected across three interrelated studies for the purposes of initial validation, construct validity, and test-retest reliability. In Phase 3, Study 3a, an exploratory factor analysis yielded a 25-item scale with five factors as follows: (1) Authenticity, (2) Connection, (3) Home, (4) REC Thriving, and (5) Self-Definition. Results from Phase 3, Study 3b’s confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the five factor model was an acceptable fit of the data and the best fit amongst competing models. The iBelong Scale had moderate to large positive associations with measures of general belonging and unidimensional measures of REC belonging and identity, and moderate to large negative associations related to measures of loneliness and REC non-belonging. The iBelong Scale had small to moderate positive associations with measures of general well-being. Findings from Phase 3, Study 3c indicated the test-retest reliability of the iBelong Scale over a two-week period. Limitations of the studies and implications for research and practice are discussed. This author also publishes under the name B. Andi Lee.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2024

Author dc:creator

• Quasebarth, Andi Lee

Contributors dc:contributor

• Neville, Helen A
• Aber, Mark
• Allen, Nicole
• Ruedas-Gracia, Nidia
• Saw, Anne

• REC belonging
• BIPOC
• grounded theory
• scale development
• People of Color

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2023 B. Andi Lee

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127421

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/127421