Cultural Mistrust, Ethnic Identity, Racial Identity, and Self-Esteem Among Ethnically Diverse Black University Students

• Published in: Journal of counseling and development 2001-04, Vol.79 (2), p.209-216
• Main Authors: Phelps, Rosemary E., Taylor, Janice D., Gerard, Phyllis A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: African American college students; African American Students; African Americans; Africans; Africans in the United States; Black American people; Black identity; Black people; Black Students; Blacks; College Students; Cultural Interrelationships; Cultural relations; Demographic aspects; Distrust; Ethnic attitudes; Ethnic identity; Ethnicity; Haitians; Higher Education; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority college students; Psychological aspects; Race awareness; Race identity; Racial Identification; Racial identity; Self Esteem; Self image; Selfesteem; Social psychology
• ISSN: 0748-9633; 1556-6676
• DOI: 10.1002/j.1556-6676.2001.tb01962.x

Cultural mistrust, ethnic identity, racial identity, and self‐esteem were examined among African (n = 26), African American (n = 110), and West Indian/Caribbean (n = 24) university students. African American students' scores were statistically different from those of African and West Indian/Caribbean students on cultural mistrust, racial identity, and ethnic identity measures. There were no statistically significant differences on self‐esteem among the 3 groups. Results did indicate that cultural mistrust, ethnic identity, and racial identity accounted for 37% of the variance in self‐esteem for African American students. Implications for practice and future research directions are discussed.