Being Well vs. Doing Well: Self-Esteem and School Performance among Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Racial and Ethnic Groups

• Published in: The International migration review 2002-06, Vol.36 (2), p.389-415
• Main Authors: Bankston, Carl L., Zhou, Min
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Adolescents; African American culture; African Americans; Asian Americans; Asian Cultural Groups; Asian people; Asians; Black people; Black white relations; Children; Comparative studies; Cultures and civilizations; Education; Educational Policy; Ethnic Groups; Ethnic groups. Acculturation. Cultural identity; Ethnicity; Grade Point Average; Hispanics; Immigrant status; Immigrants; Immigration; Inconsistency; Latin American Cultural Groups; Longitudinal Studies; Mental health; Migrants; Migration; Minorities; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority group students; Minority Groups; Nativism; Noncitizens; Parental status; Parents; Psychological factors; Psychological well being; Race; Racial Differences; Racial Segregation; Schools; Self Esteem; Self image; Selfesteem; Social aspects; Sociology; Standardized Tests; Teenagers; Theorists; U.S.A; United States of America; USA; Well being
• ISSN: 0197-9183; 1747-7379
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-7379.2002.tb00086.x

It has frequently been suggested that the academic achievement of minority students may be hindered by low self-esteem in a white-dominated society. Some researchers and theorists, however, have questioned such assumptions. The self-esteem-academic achievement issue is further complicated by the relatively strong performance of children of immigrants in general, and of children of Asian immigrants in particular. A substantial literature suggests that these children face insecurities and difficulties that are inconsistent with high self-esteem. In examining data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we find that Asians do show the lowest levels of reported self-esteem of the major racial/ethnic groups, but also the highest grade-point averages. Black adolescents, on the other hand, show the highest levels of reported selfesteem, but show relatively low grade-point averages. In further examination, we demonstrate that despite this apparent inconsistency between school performance and reported self-esteem, the two do have a positive relationship. Immigrant parental status, we suggest, has a complex relationship to school performance and psychological well-being that can help to explain the apparent paradox.