This study assessed the degree to which ethnic identity, ethnic identity achievement, self perceived differences in skin color, self-esteem, gender and social class were associated with academic achievement (GPA) among Asian (105), Latino (40), Caucasian (204), Afro-American (40), and Native American (10) adolescents. The subjects, students from an independent residential high school in the Northeast, consisted of both genders, grades 9 through 13 from a range of socioeconomic statuses (N = 408). Each student was handed a packet to complete and signed the consent form. Each subject was then instructed to choose the closest skin color from a skin color chart specifically developed for this study. Interviews were completed after each student's skin color was also rated by three independent raters. Subjects completed the skin color chart developed by the examiner for this study, the Rosenberg (global) Self-esteem Scale, the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure, and the Hollingshead Two Factor Index of Social Position. Academic performance measures (GPA) and academic aptitude scores (V & MSAT) were obtained from school files, reflecting the yearly average performance. Correlations between ethnic identity and ethnic identity achievement revealed a significant negative correlation with GPA, VSAT and MSAT for the entire group but dissimilar results for the specific ethnic groups. In addition, correlations between gender, skin color, grade level, SES and GPA by ethnic group revealed significant findings for some but not all ethnic groups. In addition, multiple regression analysis results revealed, when SES was controlled, that Skin Color, Gender and Ethnic Identity Achievement (EIA), in order of strength, had a positive correlation with GPA, explaining 12% of the variance for the African American, Latino and Native American subgroups (in order of degree). On the other hand, multiple regression results revealed no difference in GPA scores for the Asian subgroup, whereas a negative trend was revealed for the White subgroup.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UMASS/oai:scholarworks.umass.edu:dissertations-8919 |
| Date | 01 January 1994 |
| Creators | Santana, Edison |
| Publisher | ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst |
| Source Sets | University of Massachusetts, Amherst |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Source | Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest |
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