The effects of acculturation and racial identity on self-esteem and psychological well-being among young Puerto Ricans.
Item
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Title
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The effects of acculturation and racial identity on self-esteem and psychological well-being among young Puerto Ricans.
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Identifier
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AAI8801737
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identifier
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8801737
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Creator
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Martinez, Angel Robert.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Vera Paster
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Date
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1987
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Clinical
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Abstract
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This study examined the effects of the U.S. and Puerto Rican racial systems on the acculturation and assimilation process among Puerto Rican college students living on the mainland. Further, the effects of three modes of acculturation to the U.S. mainland on Puerto Ricans' self-esteem and sense of well-being were examined. The three modes of adaption were: (1) assimilation, in which the culture of origin is rejected in favor of the host culture; (2) non-assimilation, in which the host culture is rejected in favor of the culture of origin; and (3) biculturalism, in which a synthesis is made between the two cultures.;Race was a complicating factor. As Puerto Ricans encountered the United States' racial system of classification into dichotomous categories of black and white, modes of adaptation would be influenced by how Puerto Ricans were racially classified in the U.S. Specifically, this study was directed at determining whether modes of acculturation were related to skin color, self-esteem, or feelings of well-being.;A total of 367 Puerto Rican college students were sampled. The major findings of the study were: (1) older students tended to be more nonassimilators and identify more strongly as Puerto Ricans than younger students, who tended to be more assimilative and bicultural; (2) biculturalism was positively related to length of time in the U.S.; (3) students from higher SES families had lower Puerto Rican identity than those from lower SES families; (4) the racial self-identity of the subjects tended to be an amalgamation of U.S. and Puerto Rican racial classification systems; (5) blacks tended to see themselves more exclusively as North American than Puerto Rican; (6) self-identified white Puerto Rican students tended to be more Americanized and bicultural than self-identified black students; (7) among white students, the biculturals had the highest self-esteem and feelings of well-being, and the assimilators occupied a middle position; (8) among tan students, assimilators had higher self-esteem than biculturals; and (9) bicultural involvement was the best predictor of self-esteem and well-being.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
