An African-centered self-regard scale for Black youth: Development and initial validation

Theorists of the African centered perspective propose that constructs derived from indigenous African frameworks are associated with positive developmental outcomes amongst Black American youth. However, empirical research has not kept pace with the theoretical and conceptual developments of African centered literature. Therefore, the benefits of African centered approaches to youth development remains faintly understood. To advance our understanding of the potential role of African centered constructs of Black youth development, the purpose of this study was to (1) develop an African centered scale of self-regard derived from the indigenous African perspective of the Bantu people and (2) test the African centered hypothesis that self-regard amongst African American youth is associated with perceptions of belonging with other members of their ethnic group. The findings were promising—however, more psychometric work is needed to investigate further the relationship between African centered constructs and subsequent relationship with positive development amongst Black youth.