Ethnic identity, academic achievement, and self-esteem among Mexican-American university students

This study examines the relationship between ethnic identity, academic achievement, and self-esteem among a sample of Mexican-American students at a predominantly European-American university. Mexican-American students reported a significantly stronger sense of ethnic identity relative to European-American students on a standardized measure of ethnic identity (Phinney, 1992). High scores on the ethnic identity measure were significantly correlated to a measure of self-esteem for both Mexican-American students and European-American students, but did not predict academic achievement for either group as measured by overall grade point average when sex and age were controlled for. Results and implications for the meaning of ethnic identity in a multi-cultural society are discussed as well as directions for future research