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

Abstract

The current longitudinal study tested the premise that Latino adolescents' ( N = 323) proactive coping with discrimination would mediate the relationship between ethnic identity and self-esteem. Each component of ethnic identity (i.e., exploration, resolution, and affirmation) was positively associated with concurrent assessments of adolescents' self-esteem. However, in the longitudinal analyses, 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. These findings underscore the importance of examining the unique components of ethnic identity as well as using longitudinal designs to examine the associations between ethnic identity and adolescents' psychological well-being.

Ethnocultural and gendered determinants of coping among Mexican American adolescent men.

“…Although ethnic identity as a whole has protected against Mexican-heritage adolescents' substance use (Love, Yin, Codina, & Zapata, 2006), it has been posited that the affirmation compo nent of ethnic identity alone is not expected to play a significant role in their coping. Scholars have argued that feeling positive about one's ethnicity may not provide necessary tangible skills such as knowledge and experience as might ethnic identity exploration and resolution (Umana-Taylor et al, 2008). However, it is possible that gender differentiates how ethnic identity affirmation may affect coping through substance use.…”

Latino adolescents’ perceived discrimination in online and offline settings: An examination of cultural risk and protective factors.

“…Resolution, or having a clearer sense of the meaning that one attaches to one’s ethnic group membership, provides adolescents with a sense of confidence that reinforces their convictions regarding the meaning ethnicity has for them and, in fact, has been linked with greater use of more proactive strategies for coping with discrimination (e.g., talking to the perpetrator to work things out) among Latino adolescents (Umaña-Taylor, Vargas-Chanes, Garcia, & Gonzales-Backen, 2008). Thus, resolution may confer protection via access to more adaptive coping strategies.…”

“…First, based on work noting the protective benefits of affirmation for youths’ psychological adjustment and general well-being (Romero & Roberts, 2003), we expected high affirmation to reduce the negative impact of all sources of discrimination on self-esteem and depressive symptoms. Second, we expected high resolution to reduce the negative impact of all sources of discrimination on externalizing problems, given prior links between resolution and proactive coping (Umaña-Taylor et al, 2008); youth with better coping may be less likely to engage in deviant behaviors as a method to cope with discrimination. We expected exploration to function in a similar manner for academic outcomes, and particularly in response to discrimination by adults in school (Rosenbloom & Way, 2004).…”

Self, social identity and psychological well-being

“…Through proactive coping, a greater in-group identification or a salient racial or ethnic identity acts as a moderator so that it is associated with higher well-being (Armenta & Hunt, 2009;Cisio, 2008;Umana-Taylor et al, 2008;Williams et al, 1999;Yasui et al, 2004). One explanation is that heightened in-group identification (or a shared social identity) encompasses social resources and support that buffer stress effects on well-being.…”