The relationships between ethnic identity, collective self-esteem and academic self-efficacy among students at a higher learning institution

Abstract

Previous research has shown relationships between ethnic identity and other aspects of the self-concept such as efficacy and self-esteem, particularly among minority groups. This study examined the relationships between ethnic identity, collective self-esteem and academic self-efficacy. These relationships were examined among an overall sample of 144 respondents, and among two distinct samples consisting of Black and White respondents, respectively. Results showed positive correlations between ethnic identity and academic self-efficacy, collective self-esteem and academic self-efficacy, and between ethnic identity and collective self-esteem for the overall sample. Similar results were found for the sample consisting of Black respondents only. For the White sample, a positive correlation was found between collective self-esteem and ethnic identity only. The study further examined the relationships between academic self-efficacy and the ethnic identity and collective self-esteem subscales. For the overall sample, positive correlations were found between academic self-efficacy and the ethnic identity search and commitment subscales. Correlations for this sample were also found between academic self-efficacy and the membership self-esteem and private collective self-esteem subscales. For the Black sample, correlations were found between academic self-efficacy and the ethnic identity search and commitment subscales. Furthermore, there were correlations between academic self-efficacy and the membership self-esteem subscale, as well as the private collective self-esteem subscale for Black respondents. For the White sample, no relationships were found between academic self-efficacy and any of the collective self-esteem and ethnic identity subscales. Furthermore, limitations of the current study were identified and, subsequently, recommendations for future research were made. It was recommended that future research include other aspects of the self-concept such as personal self-esteem and actual academic achievement, so as to determine the relationships between these and the variables examined in the current study.