SELF-ESTEEM AMONG ETHNIC-MINORITY YOUTH IN WESTERN COUNTRIES

Low global self-esteem among minority youth living in Western countrie s has been considered a truism for a long time. Empirical research, ho wever, tells another story. A review of recent studies using well-esta blished scales is presented, showing no systematic indications of lowe r global self-esteem. Four possible methodological/technical explanati ons for this finding are discussed: superficial measuring, defensivene ss, measure equivalence, and respons patterns. It is concluded that th ere are no systematic and decisive methodological/technical explanatio ns for the empirical find. In the present study attention is focusses on socio-psychological explanations. Three different assumptions under lying the argument for presumed lower self-esteem among minority youth were empirically studied among Turkish youth living in the Netherland s. The results show that these assumptions are not invariably true whi ch explains why, in general, minority youth do not have lower global s elf-esteem. It is argued that these assumptions can also be used to pr edict under what conditions minority status will be associated with lo wer self-esteem.