Female gender roles in Latino culture are governed by norms that are captured in the notion of marianismo. The Marianismo Beliefs Scale is a 24 item instrument that consists of five subscales (Family Pillar, Virtuous and Chaste, Subordinate to Other, Self-silencing to Maintain Harmony, and Spiritual Pillar). The instrument measures the extent to which a Latina believes she should enculturate and practice the cultural values that comprise the multidimensional construct of marianismo.

Sample items:

• A Latina must be a source of strength for her family.
• A Latina should avoid saying no to people.
• A Latina should not discuss birth control.
• A Latina should teach her children to be loyal to the family.

Intragroup marginalization is defined as the interpersonal distancing created by members of one's heritage culture when an individual displays cultural characteristics of the dominant group’s culture. Or simple put Acting White. Intragroup marginalization is based on social identity theory and research which suggests that group members will marginalize in-group members who do not conform to the group’s norms in order to maintain the distinctiveness of the group. So, an individual who displays White American norms (e.g., individualistic behaviors) runs the risk of being marginalized by their heritage culture friends and/or family. The marginalization occurs as an interpersonal distancing that can range from outright rejection to teasing or criticism. Being called a "twinkie" “oreo,” or “coconut,” (i.e., brown on the outside, white on the inside) is one example of how intragroup marginalization can be experienced.

The Intragroup Marginalization Inventory (IMI) consists of three scales. Each scale measures an individual's perceived experience of marginalization from family, friends, or other members of the individual's ethnic group. The following scales are available for use in research:
IMI-Family: 12 items
IMI-Friends: 17 items
IMI-Ethnic Group: 13 items 

Click here for information on the psychometric properties of the scales.

To obtain a free copy of the Intragroup Marginalization Inventory, please email Dr. Linda Castillo.