Cultural identification and academic achievement: Validation of the Cultural Connectedness Achievement Measure and its use in understanding motivational characteristics of oppositional, racelessness and primary cultural identification

The present study presents evidence regarding the reliability and validity of the Cultural Connectedness Achievement Measure (CLAM). The CCAM consist of three subscales representing three cultural dimensions of African American identity. Responses to the CCAM were collected from 201 African American high school students from a predominantly Black high school. Using factor analysis, evidence was found for the three predicted subscales (Oppositional Identity, Raceless Identity and Primary Cultural Identity) measuring unique cultural identifications for African American students. Results indicated that the CCAM is both internally and externally valid. Additionally, results indicated two new patterns of identity, one a combination of primary cultural and raceless identities and the other a combination of having primary cultural and oppositional identities. The second part of the study explored the motivational characteristics that distinguish these three groups of African American students. Distinct motivational patterns were found for the three cultural identities of the CCAM and for the two blended or combined identities.