Developmental, ethnic, and gender differences in ethnic identity among adolescents

Students' ratings of five components of ethnic identity were examined: their ethnic self-label, reference group, ethnically related attitudes (ethnic pride, separatist feeling, stereotyping of ethnic groups), values, and social expectations. Each component was examined among;325 African American, Latino, Filipino, and Angle adolescents at an integrated ethnically balanced high school. The independence of the dimensions of ethnic identity were indicated by modest and nonsignificant correlations among the components of ethnic identity, as well as a three-factor solution among the measures of ethnic identity. The correlations among the components of ethnic identity and the factor structure were similar among students in the upper grades (11th and 12th) and in the lower grades (9th and 10th). Ethnic pride increased with grade level and was lowest for Angle and Asian students. Girls were more similar to the norms of their ethnic group than were boys. The importance of multifactor and contextually assessed indices of ethnic identity is discussed.