Many studies have examined the correlation between self-esteem and alcohol consumption among college students. Self-esteem has long been considered an important factor in individual drinking behavior (Corbin, McNair, & Carter, 2001). But what about other health risk behaviors, such as smoking cigarettes and smoking marijuana? Although some of the literature is inconsistent as to the exact nature of the relationship between self-esteem and smoking cigarettes, several studies have demonstrated a link between low self-esteem and increased cigarette use in adolescents (Kavas, 2009). The purpose of this study was to replicate the Kavas (2009) study using the three prominent ethnicities of Southwest Colorado: Caucasians, Hispanics, and Native Americans. Our study measured levels of self-esteem, compassion towards oneself and others, and quantity of health risk behaviors. The purpose of our research was to observe any correlations between self-esteem and health risk behaviors among the three different ethnicities.
