Self-concept and social acceptance in multiracial African schools: A test of the insulation, subjective culture, and bicultural competence hypotheses

Self-concept and social acceptance were examined for a sample of 154 Black and 203 White Zimbabwean schoolchildren attending racially integrated schools. Marsh's Self-Description Questionnaire-1 and multiple measures of social acceptance were used. Although Black children had levels of global self-esteem comparable with, or higher than, that of their White classmates, Black pupils taught by White teachers had significantly lower reading and academic self-esteem. Pupils in classes taught by Black teachers tended to choose for best friends peers in other classes significantly more than did pupils in classes taught by White teachers. Analysis by gender indicated that male pupils tended to have significantly higher physical ability, physical appearance, and math self-esteem and relatively higher levels of social participation than female students. Results partially supported the bicultural competence, subjective culture, and the insulation hypotheses on children's social status in multiracial school contexts.