The Relationship Between Shame and Acculturation Among Latino/Chicano Students

Abstract

Findings are presented from research examining the relationship between shame traits and acculturation status (i.e., Mexican, Anglo, and Bicultural orientations, level/type) of Chicano students (N = 90). Six out of twenty-four shame traits were significantly related to acculturation status; one descriptive-acculturation trait (awareness of ethnic background) lowered shame scores, and place of birth of parents and grandparents affected self-esteem scores. A major consideration in this paper is for educators to evaluate shame and acculturation traits of college students and utilize experiential, adult learning, and strengths-centered approaches to structure teaching in the context of these traits. This study has implications for advancing knowledge on these subjects through replication with diverse student and probability samples.