MEXICAN-AMERICAN CHILDRENS PERCEPTIONS OF SELF AND SCHOOL-ACHIEVEMENT

Several theorists (e.g., LaFromboise, Coleman, & Gerton, 1993; Ogbu, 1 992) have suggested that ethnic minority children's beliefs about thei r ethnicity may affect their self-perceptions in other domains (e.g., academic and social competence). The purpose of the present study was to examine the relations between 4th- and 5th-grade Mexican American c hildren's beliefs about their ethnicity and their perceptions of thems elves, their attitudes toward school, and their school performance. In general, children identified with their own ethnic group over Anglo-A mericans, but indicated acceptance of all people rather than a prefere nce for only people of their own ethnic group. Children's beliefs abou t their ethnicity were related to their perceptions of their social an d behavioral competence, their self-worth, their attitudes toward scho ol, and their intrinsic motivation for learning, but not to their scho ol achievement.