Development and validation of the Japanese version of the Auckland individualism and collectivism scale: relationship between individualism/collectivism and mental health

Shota Noda; Sho Okawa; Chantal Kasch; Christoph Vogelbacher; Cameron E Lindsay; Motohiro Nishiuchi; Maaya Kobayashi; Stefan G Hofmann

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1448461

Development and validation of the Japanese version of the Auckland individualism and collectivism scale: relationship between individualism/collectivism and mental health

Front Psychol. 2024 Sep 13:15:1448461. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1448461. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Shota Noda^{1

2}, Sho Okawa^{3

4}, Chantal Kasch¹, Christoph Vogelbacher¹, Cameron E Lindsay¹, Motohiro Nishiuchi⁵, Maaya Kobayashi², Stefan G Hofmann¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
² Research Institute of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Musashino University, Tokyo, Japan.
³ Department of Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
⁴ Research Center for Child Mental Development, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
⁵ Graduate School of Human and Social Sciences, Musashino University, Tokyo, Japan.

Abstract

Background: This study developed the Japanese version of the Auckland Individualism and Collectivism Scale (J-AICS), examined its reliability and validity, and explored the associations between its factors (compete, unique, responsibility, advice, and harmony) along with variables related to mental health in the Japanese population.

Methods: We recruited 476 Japanese participants from the general population. Participants completed the J-AICS along with questionnaires pertaining to culture and mental health.

Results: Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the correlated five-factor model showed a good fit to the data. The Cronbach's α and McDonald's ω coefficients were high for the individualism, collectivism, compete, unique, and advice factors, but low for the responsibility and harmony factors. Convergent validity was supported by significant relationships between culture-related variables. A one-way analysis of variance revealed the low individualism/collectivism cluster had higher loneliness and lower satisfaction with life than the high individualism and collectivism clusters. The multiple regression analyses showed that the responsibility factor was significantly and negatively associated with mental health concerning anxiety and depressive symptoms, loneliness, and satisfaction with life. In addition, the harmony factor was significantly and positively associated with the mental health.

Conclusion: These findings demonstrate sufficient validity of the J-AICS; however, reliability was insufficient for responsibility and harmony. Further, responsibility was positively associated with mental health and harmony was negatively associated with mental health.

Keywords: J-AICS; collectivism; cross-cultural difference; individualism; mental health.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study is supported by the JSPS KAKENHI Grant no. 24 K16849 (SN). Additionally, support is provided by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (as part of the Alexander von Humboldt Professur of SGH), the Hessische Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst (as part of the LOEWE Spitzenprofessur of SGH), and the DYNAMIC center, funded by the LOEWE program of the Hessian Ministry of Science and Arts (Grant no. LOEWE1/16/519/03/09.001(0009)/98). Open Access funding provided by the Open Access Publishing Fund of Philipps-Universität Marburg.