The Initial Development and Validation of the Racial Socialization Competency Scale: Quality and Quantity

Objectives: The present study investigated the reliability and validity of the Racial Socialization Competency Scale (RaSCS). As posited by the Racial Encounter Coping Appraisal and Socialization Theory (RECAST), the RaSCS consists of 3 factors representing 3 novel dimensions of racial socialization competency present in families (e.g., stress, skills, and confidence). Method: Responses to the RaSCS were collected from 361 self-identified Black and African American parents and primary caretakers across the United States. Results: After factor analysis, three scales and 27 items were maintained. Evidence was consistently found for 2 subscales within the stress dimension, namely "Call to Action" and "General" racial socialization stressors. Dimensions were also related to their respectively hypothesized constructs, including overall stress, racial socialization frequency, and self-efficacy. Conclusions: Future directions and recommendations on the measure's use, particularly in the context of interventions, are also discussed.