The relationship between African-American ethnic identity development, socioeconomic status and locus of responsibility

The focus of this study was African Americans\u27 ethnic identity development. The purpose of the study was to investigate manifestations of oppression affect African American ethnic identity development. The perceptions of locus of responsibility regarding socioeconomic status were investigated as they related to ethnic identity development. Multiple regression was the method of analysis. The predictor variables were socioeconomic status (Revised Socioeconomic Index of Occupational Status, self-report of class and income level), and locus of responsibility (Revised Causal Dimensional Scale II). The criteria variable, ethnic identity development, was operationalized as scores obtained on the Black Racial Identity Attitudes Scale. One hundred and seventy five African American participants from churches in the midwest participated by filling out instruments. Results indicated that perceptions of cause of socioeconomic status did not predict level of African American ethnic identity development