256 Reliability of Bidimensional Acculturation Scores A Meta-Analysis Que-Lam Huynh University of California, Riverside Ryan T. Howell San Francisco State University Verónica Benet-Martínez University of California, Riverside Understanding score reliability is a necessary step in examining the validity of accul- turation instruments. Thus, the authors evaluate the aggregate reliability of three multigroup, bidimensional acculturation instruments: General Ethnicity Questionnaire– Abridged, Stephenson Multigroup Acculturation Scale, and Vancouver Index of Acculturation. Reliability generalization techniques are used to analyze 51 internal consistency estimates and 6 sample characteristics for these instruments. Overall, reli- ability estimates for all three instruments appear to be robust. However, the ranges of reliability estimates across diverse samples vary greatly, which has implications for the interpretation of substantive outcomes and acculturation instrument selection. In addition, variability in reliability estimates is associated with scale length, gender, and ethnic composition of sample. Implications for acculturation research and measurement are discussed. Keywords: acculturation, meta-analysis, reliability generalization, General Ethnicity Questionnaire, Stephenson Multigroup Acculturation Scale, Vancouver Index of Acculturation A cculturation at the individual, psychological level results when there is continuous, prolonged contact between two culturally distinct groups, and individuals within the groups must adapt to the new cultural contact situation (Berry, 2003). Within recent years, researchers have widely embraced the bidimensional or bilinear model of acculturation, which proposes that individuals can have independent orientations toward their heritage culture and the host or dominant culture (i.e., independent cultural orientations; see Berry, 2003; Cuellar, Arnold, & Maldonado, 1995; Ryder, Alden, & Paulhus, 2000; Stephenson, 256 Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology Volume 40 Number 2 March 2009 256-274 © 2009 SAGE Publications 10.1177/0022022108328919 http://jccp.sagepub.com hosted at http://online.sagepub.com Authors’ Note: Portions of this paper were presented at the 20th annual convention of the Asian American Psychological Association, August 2005. We are indebted to Angela-MinhTu D. Nguyen, Robert Rosenthal, and M. Robin DiMatteo for their invaluable feedback on previous drafts of this article. Address correspondence to Que-Lam Huynh, Department of Psychology, University of California, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521; e-mail: que-lam.huynh@email.ucr.edu. at SAN DIEGO STATE UNIV LIBRARY on September 27, 2010 jcc.sagepub.com Downloaded from