| Demographic changes in American higher education have created incredibly diverse campus communities. Forming or improving upon ethnic identity is of great importance to these college students. Existing models of ethnic identity development are limited in their ability to explain the formation of ethnic identity for college students from several ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of ethnic identity development for African American, Latino/a, and Asian American college students. Additionally, the study examined the impact of family, community, and interaction with members of other ethnic groups on students' ethnic identity development. Semi-structured interviews were the primary research method used in the study. The sample of fifty-nine students was drawn from two universities in Southern California. The findings from the study showed that there were a number of influences on students' ethnic identity. Students' families had a large impact on their ethnic identity. They conveyed culture to students and promoted values related to family that students considered to be central to their ethnic identity. Interaction with members of other ethnic groups positively affected students' ethnic identity. They modeled the behavior of their peers which led to their involvement in ethnic student organizations and ethnic studies courses. Students also incorporated the cultures of their peers into their own ethnic identity. Students who grew up in homes with strong cultures, experienced a decline in ethnic identity when they entered high schools with significant numbers of White students. The findings suggest a developmental process which is composed of four steps: identification with students' own culture, a decline of ethnic identity in high school, a renewal of ethnic identity in college due to contact with co-ethnic peers, and an integration of other cultures into students' own ethnic identity. |
