Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Bengali version of the In-Group Identification Scale among the Santals of West Bengal

Author : Pulakita Chowdhury, Anamitra Basu

Abstract : In-group identification, central to modern social psychology, describes how people connect and identify with their social groups. Researchers widely use the multidimensional In-Group Identification Scale by Leach et al. (2008), but few have examined its cross-cultural validity among indigenous populations, especially in non-Western countries. The present study aimed to adapt the 14-item In Group Identification Scale into Bengali and evaluate its psychometric properties among the Santal community, a major Scheduled Tribe in West Bengal, India. Data were collected from 146 Santal participants (Mage = 29.65, SD = 6.89), with a balanced gender distribution. The participants were selected via purposive and snowball sampling. Brislin’s back-translation method was used to translate the scale from English to Bengali. Psychometric properties (Reliability, Exploratory Factor Analysis with Principal Axis Factoring and Promax rotation, and Construct Validity through Confirmatory Factor Analysis) were assessed via SPSS version 26 and AMOS 21.0. Cronbach’s Alpha was found to be 0.93. EFA supported a stable five-factor structure (Homogeneity, Centrality, Solidarity, Self-Stereotyping, and Satisfaction) that matches the original model proposed by Leach et al. (2008). CFA results demonstrate an excellent fit for the 14-item model (CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.07). Factor loadings ranged from 0.37 to 0.99, confirming the scale’s multidimensionality. The Bengali version of the In-group Identification Scale is psychometrically sound and culturally valid for use with Bengali-speaking Santals.

Keywords : In-Group Identification, Santals, Psychometric properties, Cross-cultural adaptation, West Bengal, Factor Analysis, Reliability, Validity.

Conference Name : International Conference on Cross-cultural Psychiatry, Psychology and Mental Health (ICCCPPMH-26)

Conference Place : Chennai, India

Conference Date : 3rd May 2026