The Relationship Between Collective Self-Esteem, Acculturation, and Alcohol-Related Consequences Among Asian American Young Adults

Abstract

We examined the relationship between collective self-esteem (i.e., the value one places on being part of a collective group), acculturation, and alcohol-related consequences in a sample of 442 Asian American young adults. We found that membership self-esteem and public collective self-esteem interacted with acculturation such that low levels of both predicted greater rates of consequences. Participants with lower acculturation and greater private collective self-esteem experienced more alcohol consequences. This study suggests that differential aspects of collective self-esteem may serve as protective or risk factors for Asian American young adults depending on degree of acculturation.

KEYWORDS:

• Asian American
• young adults
• alcohol
• consequences
• acculturation
• collective self-esteem

Notes

^a Daily Drinking Questionnaire.

^b Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index score.

^c Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation.

*p < .05; **p < .01.

^a Typical drinks per week (in the past month) computed from the Daily Drinking Questionnaire.

^b Acculturation computed from the Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Scale.

**p < .01, ***p < .001.