Longitudinal Examination of Latino Adolescents' Ethnic Identity, Coping with Discrimination, and Self-Esteem

• NCJ Number: 221581
• Journal: Journal of Early Adolescence Volume: 28 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2008 Pages: 16-50
• Author(s): Adriana J. Umana-Taylor; Delfino Vargas-Chanes; Cristal D. Garcia; Melinda Gonzales-Backen
• Date Published: February 2008
• Length: 35 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined whether adolescents’ use of proactive strategies for coping with discrimination would mediate the relationship between ethnic identity and self-esteem over time.

Abstract

Findings indicated that among the different ethnic identity components, only ethnic identity resolution was associated with adolescents’ use of proactive strategies for coping with discrimination. The study focused on Latino adolescents and was among the first to examine these associations longitudinally and, furthermore, to examine the multiple components of ethnic identity such as exploration, resolution, and affirmation. Preliminary evidence was provided regarding the positive impact of ethnic identity resolution on adolescents’ and youths’ use of proactive strategies for coping with discrimination. The present findings support existing work in which active coping has been positively associated with positive psychosocial outcomes such as high self-esteem, low depression, and low substance use. Initial reports indicated that ethnic identity exploration, resolution, and affirmation were all positively correlated with later assessments of self-esteem; and initial reports of ethnic identity exploration and resolution were positively correlated with later assessments of proactive coping. However, in the longitudinal analysis, none of the ethnic identity components predicted future levels of self-esteem. Ethnic identity resolution was the only ethnic identity component to predict proactive coping over time. Furthermore, proactive coping did not mediate the relationship between ethnic identity and self-esteem. However, there was evidence to suggest that the association between proactive coping and self-esteem was bidirectional. The findings underscore the importance of examining the unique components of ethnic identity, as well as using longitudinal design to examine the associations between ethnic identity and adolescent psychological well-being. The sample consists of 323 Latino adolescents, 49.5 percent female, attending 5 high schools in nonmetropolitan communities in Illinois. Adolescents completed a self administered questionnaire. Table, figures, note, references