ETHNIC-MINORITY IDENTITY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING - THE MEDIATINGROLE OF COLLECTIVE SELF-ESTEEM

The study focuses on the psychological significance of ethnic minority identity among youth of Chinese origin living in the Netherlands. Rel ations of perceived group status and cultural values (allocentrism) wi th 3 measures of psychological well-being are examined. In addition, t he mediating role of components of collective self-esteem (self-evalua tion of ethnic in-group) is assessed. Collective self-esteem and psych ological well-being depended more on perceived group status than on cu ltural values. Evidence was found primarily for the idea that componen ts of collective self-esteem act as a mediating variable between perce ived social status and psychological well-being. Different components function as mediators for different measures of well-being, suggesting that there are different mechanisms through which ethnic identity fac tors influence different aspects of psychological functioning.