Abstract

ESTEBAN GUITART, MOISÉS; RIVAS DAMIAN, MARÍA JANE  and  PEREZ DANIEL, MYRIAM REBECA. ETHNIC IDENTITY AND SELF-ESTEEM AMONG YOUNG INDIGENOUS AND MESTIZOS FROM SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS (CHIAPAS, MEXICO). Act.Colom.Psicol. [online]. 2011, vol.14, n.1, pp.99-108. ISSN 0123-9155.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between ethnic identity and self-esteem among indigenous and mestizos from Chiapas. 517 university students from diverse ethnic groups (256 mestizos and 261 indigenous) completed the Spanish version of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure Revised (MEIM-R) and a self-esteem questionnaire. In line with previous studies, it was hypothesized that there would be greater ethnic identity among the minority group (indigenous) than in the mestizos sample and that the MEIM would positively correlate with psychological well-being (self-esteem) in the indigenous sample. The results supported both hypotheses. The ethnic minority group showed higher scores on ethnic identity and its components compared with the mestizo group. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between ethnic identity and self-esteem in the indigenous group but not in the mestizo sample. These results are discussed in the light of social identity theory.

Keywords : Ethnic identity; self-esteem; social identity; Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure Revised.

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