This research explored global self-esteem in a sample of one hundred and five urban African American adolescent females. Data for this study were collected from twelfth-graders between the ages of 16 to 18 (mean 16.83) who attended an urban all girls' Catholic High School. Global self-esteem was the dependent variable. Four predictor variables that were viewed to influence global self-esteem in this teen-age population were defined, tested and discussed. The variables are: Ethnic Identity Achievement, Appearance Evaluation (body image), Trust of Mother (attachment), and Coping The research packet consisted of six study instruments; two self-esteem instruments and one instrument to measure each of the four predictor variables. Data analysis consisted of performing tests of correlation, followed by several step-wise multiple regressions. The multiple regression analyses determined that Trust of Mother explained 27% of the variance in global self-esteem. Additions of Ethnic Identity Achievement (3%) and Appearance Evaluation (13%) only increased the explained variance by 16%. In this study Coping was not associated with global self-esteem Future research should consider the important role played by secondary attachment figures to the adolescent African American female's global self-esteem level. In many Black homes the mother engages in paid employment outside of the home. During the mother's absence her daughter is cared for by secondary caregivers. These secondary attachments may or may not be biological family members. Research including secondary attachments figures may better help explain the influences to this populations global self-esteem level
