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Open Access Thesis

Keywords

African American teenagers--Psychology; African Americans--Race identity; Self-esteem in adolescence;

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between ethnic identity and self-esteem among African-American adolescents. There has been little or no research documenting the relationship between ethnic identity development and level of self-esteem, especially among minority adolescents; that is, researchers have failed to focus on ethnic identity and self-esteem at the level of individual change--a developmental process. Within the framework of identity theory, ethnic identification is hypothesized to be related to self-esteem.

Using the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) and the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM), the correlation analysis, Fisher's Z-Transformation, and one-way ANOVAs were performed with a total subject population of 142 African-American students comprising the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. The nature of this ethnic identity construct is discussed and its relation to self-esteem and other demographic variables is investigated.

The study confirmed that ethnic identity and self-esteem are related psychological constructs among African-American adolescents. Most importantly, it was also noted that ethnic identity consists of two interrelated components, ethnic identity achievement and ethnic belonging, in addition to other residuals unaccounted for in determining one's self-esteem.

Year of Submission

1993

Degree Name

Specialist in Education

Department

Department of Educational Psychology, Foundations, and Leadership Studies

Department

Department of Educational Psychology and Foundations

First Advisor

Radhi H. Al-Mabuk

Comments

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Date Original

1993

Object Description

1 PDF file (86 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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