THE PROTECTIVE STYLE QUESTIONNAIRE - SELF-PROTECTIVE MECHANISMS AMONGSTIGMATIZED ADOLESCENTS

Crocker and Major (1989) hypothesized three mechanisms by which member s of stigmatized groups may protect self-esteem. The mechanisms are: a ) ingroup social comparisons, b) valuing/devaluing performance selecti vely, and c) racial prejudice. We provide a test of Crocker and Major' s hypothesized mechanisms with the development of the Protective Style Questionnaire which was administered to a sample of 78 African-Americ an adolescents. Evidence of high internal consistency reliability (abo ut.86) and factor loadings support the orthogonality of the three mech anisms. Results showed varying levels of endorsement of each mechanism .