African American Women and Self-Esteem

Abstract

Social support has been found to act as a buffer against the effects of racial microaggressions, which are known to have an adverse effect on self-esteem. The current quantitative study examined the effects of social support and racial microaggressions on the self-esteem of African American women enrolled in predominately White institutions (PWIs). The sample comprised 121 African American women enrolled at PWIs. Data analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between perceived social support, racial microaggressions, and the self-esteem of African American women enrolled at PWIs. In analyzing individual subscales, family-based support and self-esteem were statistically significant. Implications for counseling are discussed.