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Multicultural Sensitivity Scale

Choose any number between 1 and 6 to indicate your agreement or disagreement with each of the following statements. Please print and write your response in the space provided at the left hand side of the statements.

1. ______ I have a tendency to trust people of my ethnic group more than I trust those of other ethnic groups
2. ______ I feel very uncomfortable in the presence of members of ethnic groups other than my own
3. ______ When I observe the hardships of some people, I understand why they are not proud of their ethnic identity
4. ______ Individuals should be deeply sensitive to the thoughts others have of them
5. ______ It is good to avoid encounters with people who are different from you
6. ______ Each ethnic group should strive to become more Americanized rather than maintaining the characteristics of their ethnic group
7. ______ I feel more secure when I am in the presence of members of my ethnic group
8. ______ I feel less comfortable when I socialize with persons outside my ethnic group
9. ______ When I understand the environment from which many people of ethnic minority backgrounds come, I understand why they do not have pride in their ethnic identities
10. ______ I feel threatened by members of other ethnic groups
11. ______ The ethnic group that persons belong to frequently determines how I respond to them interpersonally
12. ______ When I am offended by an ethnic minority, I generalize the behavior to other members of that group
13. ______ In order to be accepted by persons of other ethnic groups, I frequently find myself altering my behavior
14. ______ I have discovered that it is better to avoid associating with people who think differently than me
15. ______ I naturally respond more favorably to people of my ethnic group
16. ______ I prefer working with people with whom I can identify ethnically
17. ______ I have not been able to overcome my feelings of uneasiness when I see a group of people from a particular ethnic group together
18. ______ I feel tense and uptight when I have to work closely with persons who are of a different ethnic group than my own
19. ______ I would feel more relaxed if I could work with people of my own ethnic group
20. ______ I do not enjoy associating with persons of other ethnic groups
21. ______ I classify people on the basis of obvious ethnic characteristics

Jibaja, M.L., Sebastian, R., Kingery, P., & Holcolmb, J.D. (2000). The multicultural sensitivity of physician assistant students. Journal of Allied Health, 29 (2): 79–85.