Ethnic identity in urban African American youth: Exploring links with self‐worth, aggression, and other psychosocial variables

Abstract

Abstract This study represents an attempt to examine the relative influences of ethnic identity and global self‐worth on aggression, coping, and adjustment among urban African American adolescents. Findings suggest that ethnic identity was associated with a range of positive feelings about oneself and health‐related outcomes. When taking into account global self‐worth, youth with a greater sense of ethnic/racial identity reported more active coping strategies, fewer beliefs supporting aggression, and fewer aggressive behaviors. A strong positive sense of global self‐worth was significantly related to lower levels of anxiety and depression, and greater beliefs supporting aggressive behavior, when taking into account ethnic identity. Examining these constructs in combination can yield insight into the processes involved in competence and adjustment among at‐risk youth. This study suggests that ethnic identity is an important component of development, and that we should consider examining and strengthening ethnoracial and political consciousness among youth in preventive interventions. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.