1-071 - Racial and Ethnic Socialization and Identity Development in African American and Latino Families

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

The role of parents as socializers in the healthy development of their children is well-established. Among racial/ethnic minority youth, parent socialization that is linked to racial/ethnic group membership is often an important part of this process. In this symposium, racial/ethnic socialization and identity will be explored in three papers that developmentally span from early childhood to late adolescence. In the first paper, researchers examined cultural values and beliefs, racial/cultural and developmental goals, and parenting practices in Latino immigrant parents of 2 year olds. Results showed that both mothers and fathers emphasized bi-culturalism in the values and goals expressed, and that cultural values and goals were related to the quality of the parent-child relationship. In Paper 2, parent racial identity and racial socialization were assessed as predictors of academic motivation in African American adolescents. Parents’ racial identity was related to their racial socialization practices, and emphasis on racial pride was positively related to teacher and youth reports of youths’ classroom engagement. In Paper 3, the relationship between parent and youth racial identity was explored longitudinally in African American families. Cross-lagged panel analyses showed stability across time in parents’ race centrality; youths’ race centrality was stable beginning in Grade 7. Parents’ race centrality when youth were in Grade 7 predicted youths’ Grade 10 race centrality. These three papers show new ways in which valuing of racial/ethnic heritage as expressed through race pride socialization of youth and parents’ race/ethnic values are linked to positive developmental outcomes in racial/ethnic minority youth.

Sub Unit

• Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Chair

• Beth E Kurtz-Costes, Univ of N Carolina-Chapel Hill

Discussant

• Stephanie Johnson Rowley, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Individual Presentations

• The Early Cultural Socialization Context of Latino Children in Immigrant Families - Presenting Author: Daniela Aldoney, University of Maryland, College Park; Natasha Cabrera, University of Maryland

• Parent Racial Centrality, Racial Socialization, and Academic Outcomes in African American Youth - Presenting Author: Aixa Marchand, Univ of Michigan; Stephanie Johnson Rowley, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

• Race Centrality Development in Black Youth and Parents - Presenting Author: Adam J. Hoffman, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Beth E Kurtz-Costes, Univ of N Carolina-Chapel Hill; Elizabeth Ann Adams, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Katherine Aidan Perkins, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill