Positive and Negative Self-Esteem Among Ethnic Minority Early Adolescents: Social and Cultural Sources and Threats

• NCJ Number: 200194
• Journal: Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 32 Issue: 4 Dated: August 2003 Pages: 267-277
• Author(s): Maykel Verkuyten
• Date Published: August 2003
• Length: 11 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the relationship between ethnicity and positive and negative self-esteem among 1,070 early adolescents (ages 10-13) of Turkish and Moroccan descent living in the Netherlands.

Abstract

These two ethnic groups were the focus of the study because they are the two minority groups that are assessed most negatively in the Netherlands and that experience the highest degree of discrimination. Also, these ethnic groups have more traditional collectivist cultures, but are living in an individualist western European country. The study was conducted in 77 primary schools in 30 cities. Ten self-esteem indicators were used, drawing on highly similar inventories by Rosenberg (1965) and Piers and Harris (Piers, 1984). Four questions were used to measure perceived ethnic discrimination by peers. Perceived intergenerational cultural conflict was also measured. The study found that family integrity was related to positive self-esteem among the adolescents, supporting the view that family support and involvement are important for the development of feelings of self-worth; however, participants who valued family integrity to a high degree also had higher negative self-esteem, suggesting that adherence to family collectivist cultural values may place them at a social disadvantage in adapting to Dutch cultural values. Cultural conflicts between parents and children generally were associated with low self-esteem in adolescents. Compared with the Moroccans, the Turks valued family integrity more and experienced more ethnic discrimination; whereas, the Moroccans reported more cultural differences with their parents and identified more strongly with their ethnic group. The author advises that the focus on both positive and negative self-esteem and the various factors related to each produces a clearer understanding of factors in the development of self-evaluation by ethnic minority youth. 2 tables and 74 references