Development and Initial Validation of the Latinx Immigrant Threat Attitudes Scale

Objective: The aim of this study is to develop and initially validate a psychometrically sound instrument to assess the extent to which Latinx immigrants are viewed as a threat. Method: Drawing on the integrated threat theory (ITT), we developed an initial pool of scale items to represent realistic and symbolic threats. Following best practices in scale construction, we used exploratory factor analysis followed by confirmatory factor analysis to identify, calibrate, and cross-validate the scale structure. A triadic random split of the sample (N = 958) of U.S.-born white college students was used to carry out the three-stage study. Results: Across all stages, findings support the unidimensionality of the 12-item Latinx Immigrant Threat Attitudes Scale (LITAS). Offering evidence of criterion validity, higher LITAS scores were associated with lower support for policies integrating unauthorized immigrants. Conclusions: The LITAS fills a significant gap in the measurement literature. The instrument supports the design and testing of interventions aimed at improving intergroup relations and the lived experience of Latinx immigrants in the United States. Contrary to the widely-used ITT, an undifferentiated, global notion of threat perception is salient; the implications of empirical divergence from the ITT are discussed.