Learning Objective #1: Describe differences in mastery and self-esteem in African American, Latina, and White adolescent females

Learning Objective #2: Evaluate the findings of the study for implications for clinical practice

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Purpose: Mastery, a global sense of control over one's life, and self-esteem, the value placed on oneself, are psychological characteristics associated with numerous health-enhancing behaviors. Developing interventions to fortify and enhance an individual's sense of mastery and self-esteem may serve to promote health-enhancing behaviors. Yet, differences in mastery and self-esteem among individuals of diverse cultures are not well understood, nor are the ways in which mastery and self-esteem impact health-enhancing behaviors. This is particularly so in adolescent females. Hence, the purpose of this investigation was to determine if differences existed in mastery and self-esteem levels in diverse cultural groups of adolescent females.

Methods: As part of cross-sectional, correlational study investigating predictors of HIV risk reduction behaviors, Pearlin Mastery Scale and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale scores among black, Latina and white adolescent females were examined to determine if significant differences existed across groups. A purposive sample of 224 black, Latina, and white adolescent females was recruited from an urban adolescent primary care setting. Analysis of variance was utilized to determine if significant differences existed across cultural groups.

Results: Black participants had significantly higher mastery scores than the Latina participants. Black participants had significantly higher self-esteem scores than both Latina and white participants. No significant differences in HIV risk reduction behavior scores existed among the three cultural groups.

Implications for practice: A better understanding of cultural differences in mastery and self-esteem in this group of adolescent females may serve to guide the development of interventions to promote health-enhancing behaviors associated with mastery and self-esteem in culturally-diverse groups of adolescent females.