Breaking the Cycle: Self-Esteem and African American Youth

Self-esteem has been cited as a primary factor in how well or how poorly an individual functions in society. African American youth may be among those particularly susceptible to feelings of low selfesteem. This study attempted to measure if participation in a African American Self-Esteem (AASE) course would have a positive effect on the self-esteem of participants. The AASE course is a ten week education,/support group that focuses on African American history and culture. Twenty-eight junior and senior high African American students from the Minneapolis metro area participated. Their self-esteem levels were measured, they then participated in the AASE course and their self-esteem levels were measured again. Data from the study do not support the hypothesis that participants\u27 self-esteem is positively effected. The study did not find a correlation between African American History and culture and self-esteem, but the data did suggest that future work in this area should concentrate on self-efficacy issues in African American youth