Description
The field of multi-ethnic identity research is one that has existed largely in the shadow of its more established parental field of ethnic identity. However, multi-ethnic individuals, compared to their mono-ethnic counterparts, uniquely experience the ethnic identity development process. As their demographic grows and begins to garner more attention, the need for a deeper understanding of how these people negotiate their multiple ethnic identities is needed. Using theoretical groundings from current multi-ethnic identity models, major ethnic identity models, and the seminal Social Identity Theory, this thesis assesses the impact that ethnic peer group members' acceptance of multi-ethnic individuals, parental cultural influences, and language skills have on the individuals' ethnic identity development and self-esteem. Hypotheses predicting a positive relationship between parental cultural maintenance and ethnic identity (H1), and parental cultural maintenance with ethnic language proficiency (H4) were both fully supported. Likewise the predicted positive relationships between ethnic language proficiency and ethnic identity (H3), and perceived ethnic peer acceptance (H5) were fully supported. A positive relationship between perceived ethnic peer acceptance and ethnic identity (H2) was only partially supported. Results relating to positive relationships with self-esteem were much more varied. Ethnic identity (H6) and perceived ethnic peer acceptance (H7) both produced partially supported positive relationships with overall self-esteem, whereas ethnic language proficiency (H8) and parental cultural maintenance (H9) resulted in no significant relationship with self-esteem, despite a positive relationship being predicted. A secondary analysis covered in the discussion reevaluates the findings for Hypotheses 6 through 9 controlling for the level of importance individuals hold for each ethnicity in order to better interpret the findings. From these results suggestions for future research are presented.
