Understanding the Role of Collective Racial Esteem and Resilience in the Development of Asian American Leadership Self-Efficacy

Using an ethnically diverse, national sample, this study used structural equation modeling to investigate the development of leadership self-efficacy (LSE) among 2,223 Asian American college students by focusing on the influences of racial identity (using the construct of collective racial esteem; CRE) and resilience. Results demonstrated a strong influence of resilience on LSE, and of CRE on resilience. This study's findings highlight the importance of attending to the influence of racial identity on leadership development for Asian Americans, a group for which college educators often overlook the impact of race on college experiences and outcomes. Implications for practice include: (a) understanding the role of psychological constructs on leadership development; (b) the importance of racial identity in developing resilience; and (c) the need to integrate racial identity and resilience in leadership education to provide a holistic approach for Asian American students' development.