Psychometric evaluation of the perceived context of reception scale among Hispanic and Somali adolescents.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study validates the psychometric properties and correlates of the perceived context of reception (PCOR) scale, a measure of immigrant youth's perceptions of the openness or hostility of their receiving communities, among Hispanic and Somali adolescents. METHODS: Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) was conducted to assess the properties of PCOR among a sample of first- and second-generation Hispanic and Somali youth (N = 311) recruited in the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota. RESULTS: CFA results provided evidence that the negative dimension of PCOR was structurally equivalent across ethnicity and generation and has acceptable internal consistency reliability. Negative perception of the receiving community's attitude toward newcomers was positively correlated with perceived discrimination, depressive symptoms, and anxiety. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that negative PCOR is cross-ethnically valid and that perceptions of the receiving community should be considered an important component of immigrant adaptation.