Criterion Validity of American Indian Identity: Policy Recommendations From a Small National Sample

Abstract

This Research Note discusses emerging findings from a small national sample of government officials who represent federally recognized American Indian tribal governments. Data were collected from individuals who responded to an anonymous survey questionnaire in which respondents were asked about their American Indian ethnic and cultural identities. While the sample size for this on-going national study was small (N = 12), when analyzed with the same data collected during two distinct larger studies - the Southern Ute Indian Community Safety Survey (N = 667) and the Native American Indian Women in Prison in O.R.W. (N = 596) - using ANOVA, Pearson’s correlations, and Principal Component Factor Analysis (PCA), concordance was discovered between ethnic identity data from the three distinctive studies which were conducted over thirty years. Findings from this test of criterion validity on the identity measures have public policy implications, which are discussed.