Education, Ethnic Identity, and Acculturation as Predictors of Self‐Esteem in Latino Adolescents

Abstract

This study examines the self‐esteem, acculturation, and ethnic identity of 150 Latino adolescents enrolled in either a bilingual or traditional education program. Bilingual education programs were established to ensure that academic failure was not the product of limited English proficiency. Grade point average (GPA), acculturation, and ethnic identity significantly predicted self‐esteem for students in bilingual programs, whereas only GPA and acculturation significantly predicted self‐esteem for students in traditional educational programs.