The Effect Of Biculturalism On Self-Esteem In Northern Plains Native American College Students

The main purpose of this study was to examine the effect of biculturalism on self esteem in a sample of 51 Northern Plains Native American college students (29 females, 22 males). Subjects completed the Northern Plains Biculturalism Inventory (NPB1; Allen & French, 1994) and the Index of Self-Esteem (ISE; Hudson, 1982). Pearson Product- Moment correlations, independent t-tests, a multiple regression analysis, and an one-way analysis-of-variance was performed using the SPSS statistical package to examine, if any, the relationships between the NPBI subscales and the ISE total scores. This design tested the applicability of the Orthogonal Theory of Biculturalism (Oetting & Beauvais, 1990). It was predicted that higher combined scores on the NPBI subscales would predict lower ISE total scores. Results suggested a trend, bordering on statistical significance, indicating the NPBI subscales were weak-to-moderate predictors of self-esteem. The multicollinearity of the NPBI subscales requires caution in interpreting this and any other data which utilizes this scale. Recommendations for future research in Biculturalism Measurement and Native American Mental Health are discussed