Black Men and Women’s Self-Esteem: The Consequences of a College Education and Friend Emotional Support

Abstract

Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 – Young Adult Sample (N=464), this study examines the relationship between college attainment and self-esteem among Black adults. Further, I examine whether this relationship varies by gender. Last, I investigate whether friend emotional support by gender boosts the impact of a college degree on self-esteem. The findings indicate a positive relationship between having a college degree and self-esteem. Friend emotional support did not moderate the relationship between having a college degree and self-esteem for men or women. However, age and friend emotional support had a significant effect on Black women’s self-esteem. The findings suggest different responses to friend emotional support based on gender. Future research should assess how different models of social support (e.g., family emotional support) impact Black men’s self-esteem. Furthermore, research on Black people’s self-esteem may contribute to literature and expand our understanding of what factors precede a high self-esteem and, subsequently, impact psychological well-being and mental health.