The Impact of Colourism and Western Beauty Standards on the Self-Esteem of Women of Colour in Ireland

Sobayo, Mariam Oluwapelumi (2025) The Impact of Colourism and Western Beauty Standards on the Self-Esteem of Women of Colour in Ireland. Undergraduate thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

This study aimed to explore the relationship between how attitudes towards the components of colourism (self-concept, upward mobility, impression formation, and affiliation) and the endorsement of Western beauty standards affect the self-esteem of women of colour from various immigrant backgrounds in a predominately white country such as Ireland, addressing a critical gap within a global context as previous research suggests a need for intersectionality. A cross-sectional study design was employed (N=174) across diverse ethnic and immigrant backgrounds, using validated scales such as the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, American Beauty Standards subscale and the In Group Colourism Scale. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the endorsement of Western beauty standards and upward mobility significantly predicted low self-esteem, explaining 54.4% of the variance. Generational and ethnic differences were analysed using two-way ANOVA’s, highlighting nuanced patterns within the descriptive statistics, as successive generations reported lower endorsement levels of Western beauty standards and attitudes towards colourism, but overall, there were no significant interactions between the variables. The findings of the results highlight the harmful effects of Western beauty standards and colourism on mental health and how prevalent this issue is, emphasising the need for culturally competent interventions, diverse media representation and educational initiatives to support self-acceptance and resilience among women of colour and their communities.

Item Type:	Thesis (Undergraduate)
Supervisors:	Name Email Farrell, Lynn UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Colourism; Western beauty standards; women of colour; self-esteem; immigrant status
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Specific Industries > Cosmetics Industry D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain > Ireland
Divisions:	School of Business (- 2025) > BA (Honours) in Psychology
Depositing User:	Ciara O'Brien
Date Deposited:	11 Nov 2025 14:53
Last Modified:	11 Nov 2025 14:53
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/8916

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