The DOI matches its Crossref record; 182 of the 183 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Ethnic identity and personal well-being of people of color: a meta-analysis
Abstract
This article summarizes research examining the relationship between the constructs of ethnic identity and personal well-being among people of color in North America. Data from 184 studies analyzed with random effects models yielded an omnibus effect size of r = .17, suggesting a modest relationship between the 2 constructs. The relationship was somewhat stronger among adolescents and young adults than among adults over age 40. No differences were observed across participant race, gender, or socioeconomic status, which findings support the general relevance of ethnic identity across people of color. Studies correlating ethnic identity with self-esteem and positive well-being yielded average effect sizes twice as large as those from studies correlating ethnic identity with personal distress or mental health symptoms. Ethnic identity was thus more strongly related to positive well-being than to compromised well-being. Overall, the corpus of research reviewed consisted of correlational designs; limited scholarship has addressed causal mechanisms, mediating factors, or psychological functions of ethnic identity across different social contexts.
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“A meta-analysis of 184 studies found positive associations between ethnic identity and well-being, with stronger associations for adolescents and emerging adults (Smith and Silva, 2011).”
From Assessment of culture and environment in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study: Rationale, description of measures, and early data (2018) · cites this paper as Smith and Silva, 2011
In the citing paper
“Higher levels of ethnic identity have been associated with positive physical and mental health outcomes including less internalizing and externalizing risk behaviors across youth of various ethnic and racial backgrounds (Rivas-Drake et al., 2014; Smith and Silva, 2011; Umaña-Taylor et al., 2015).”
From Assessment of culture and environment in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study: Rationale, description of measures, and early data (2018) · cites this paper as Smith and Silva, 2011
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“Ethnic identity has been found to mitigate maladaptive behaviors such as drug and alcohol use (Smith & Silva, 2011; Zapolski et al., 2017).”
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“…how ERS may offer resilience to these stressors by strengthening one’s ethnic identity (Rodriguez et al., 2009), a construct known to promote positive developmental outcomes (Smith & Silva, 2011) and instill a strong and positive sense of self as a member of one’s ethnic group (Phinney, 1989).”
BackgroundEgo-centered network analysis of ethnic-racial socialization in families
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“These findings are puzzling and contrary to the large body of research that underscores the protective and promotive effects of ERI (Serrano-Villar & Calzada, 2016; Smith & Silva, 2011; Umaña-Taylor, 2011).”
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The Identity of Sub-Sahara African Christians in Finland
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“In addition, studies by (Smith, & Silva, 2011; Schwartz, 2005) show that individuals that belong to the same group that shares, religion, and values; their group identity may promote healthy development, depression, and trauma coping.”
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“Ethnic identity is linked to positive forms of family ties, geographic stability and identity formation (Smith & Sylva, 2011, Rodriguez & DeBlassie, 1983).”
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Lavender, J. M. (2011) · Scholars Archive - University at Albany (University at Albany, State University of New York) · doi:10.54014/q181-nx91
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Jancetic, T. R., Lembo, M., Hampson, C. L., Smith, D. D., Peraza, J. A., Thompson, E., Sánchez, M., González, R., Meca, A., & Laird, A. R. (2025) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.1101/2025.08.24.671805
“…is positively associated with adaptive psychosocial functioning, such as well-being, self-esteem, and coping behaviors (Rivas-Drake et al., 2014; Smith and Silva, 2011; Bracey et al., 2004; Turnage, 2004; Roberts et al., 1999) and negatively associated with maladaptive functioning, such as…”
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Metadata
- Authors
- Smith, T. B., & Silva, L.
- Affiliations
- Brigham Young University (US)
- ORCID
- Smith, Timothy B.
- Venue
- Journal of Counseling Psychology
- Published
- 2011
- Volume
- 58
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 42-60
- ISSN
- 0022-0167 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-2168
- OpenAlex
- W2132149499
- Cited by
- 779
- References
- 183
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 40 · 2023: 45 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 80 · 2020: 106 · 2019: 60 · 2018: 74 · 2017: 55 · 2016: 54 · 2015: 49 · 2014: 36 · 2013: 39 · 2012: 25
- FWCI
- 74.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Counseling Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ScholarsArchive (Brigham Young University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Keywords
- ethnic identity, personal well-being, people of color, self-esteem, positive well-being, personal distress, psychiatric symptoms, adolescents and young adults, age differences, race, gender, socioeconomic status
- MeSH terms
- Acculturation, Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Adult, Asian, Black or African American, Depression, Ethnicity, Female, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Indians, North American, Male, Minority Groups, Prejudice, Quality of Life, Self Concept, Social Environment, Social Identification, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Young Adult
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