Dilemmas of the high-achieving chicana: The double-bind factor in male/female relationships

Abstract

This study examines the beliefs of college Chicanas regarding ethnic identification, preferred endogamy, and male perceptions of their achievements. The central research question of this cross-sectional and exploratory study is to determine if ethnically identified Chicanas who prefer to date and marry other Chicanos experience significantly more psychological distress stemming from a conflict between their educational achievements and beliefs that Chicano males are threatened by high-achieving women. The specific perceptions of threat are: that Mexican-American males feel threatened by their educational accomplishments and tend to exclude them from political and organizational activities, and that college attainment will cause them to be seen as elitist by the larger Chicano community. This study employs descriptive and correlational analyses.