Sex Differences in the Multidimensional Self-Concepts of African American Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Gender Identity

Abstract

The present study investigates whether the gender identities of African American adolescents mediate sex differences found in their multidimensional self-concepts. The sample included 174 African American adolescents who completed the 21-item Children's Personal Attributes Questionnaire and the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents. Results indicated that two dimensions of gender identity, Independence and Leadership, mediated the relationship between sex and self-evaluations in the areas of Friendship/Acceptance and Romantic Appeal. The findings of this study fill significant gaps in the current literature by providing data on African American adolescents' self-evaluations in multiple self-concept domains and by offering an empirical explanation for how biological sex influences these self-evaluations. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.