Societal Attitudinal Familial Ethnic Acculturative Stress Scale

The Societal Attitudinal Familial Ethnic (SAFE) Acculturative Stress Scale is a self-report instrument designed to measure the psychological stress and strain experienced by individuals during the acculturation process—the adaptation of cultural attitudes, behaviors, and identities when navigating between heritage and dominant cultures. Developed by Chavez, Cervantes, and Busch-Rossnagel in 1997, the SAFE Scale assesses stress across multiple domains: pressure to acculturate from society, family discord related to cultural differences, and experiences of discrimination. The instrument is widely used in clinical, educational, and research settings to evaluate acculturative stress among immigrant and ethnic minority populations and to understand its effects on mental health and well-being.