PERCEIVED DISCRIMINATION AND SELF-ESTEEM AMONG ETHNIC-MINORITY ADOLESCENTS

In a sample of ethnic minority adolescents in The Netherlands, the rel ationship between perceived discrimination and self-esteem was investi gated. First, the participants perceived a higher level of discriminat ion directed at their group as a whole than at themselves as individua ls. Second, personal self-esteem was relatively independent of group s elf-esteem. Third, perceived personal discrimination was related to pe rsonal self-esteem, and perceived group discrimination was related to group self-esteem. A path model showed 2 pathways to personal self-est eem. In the Ist path, group discrimination had a negative effect on et hnic self-esteem, which, in turn, was related to personal self-esteem. In the 2nd path, perceived personal discrimination had a direct negat ive effect on personal self-esteem as well as an indirect negative eff ect stemming from reduced sense of control.