3-015 - Contextual and Longitudinal Assessments of Risk and Protective Factors for Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Across Three Countries

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Perceived ethnic discrimination (PED) is a common occurrence among ethnic minority youth (Seaton et al., 2008)—especially those with immigrant backgrounds (Bayram Özdemir & Stattin, 2014)—and has well-established negative implications for development (Benner et al., 2018). Several theoretical frameworks highlight the central role of PED for ethnic minority youth’s development; García Coll et al. (1996) as well as Spencer (Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory; 2006) theorize that PED coping strategies and outcomes—adaptive and maladaptive—must be examined in relation to one’s risk and protective factors within the socio-ecological context (e.g., schools, families). Thus, scholars now are assessing more complex and contextualized models of the PED-consequences relation and are identifying protective factors to attenuate PED’s negative effects (see Priest et al., 2013).

The current symposium presents three studies from three countries that assess both the risk and protective factors in the larger socio-ecological contexts of PED. Study 1 longitudinally (3 years) examined the bidirectionality of PED and its negative consequences for school adjustment and wellbeing outcomes among immigrant students in Greece. Study 2 assessed family ethnic-racial socialization, ethnic/racial identity (protective), and implicit racial biases (risk) as related to PED experiences among emerging adults in the U.S. Study 3 examined ethnic and heritage identities, and belongingness with teachers and peers as potential protective factors against PED among immigrant youth in Germany. The findings of these studies highlight the long-lasting detrimental effects of PED for youth across countries, and the importance of familial and societal protective factors to buffer those effects.

Sub Unit

• Diversity, Equity & Social Justice

Chair

• Alaina Brenick, University of Connecticut

Discussant

• Peter F. Titzmann, Leibniz University Hanover

Individual Presentations

• Longitudinal Interplay between Perceived Discrimination and Immigrant Youth Adaptation and Wellbeing - Presenting Author: Frosso Motti, University of Athens; Non-Presenting Author: Jens Asendorpf, Humboldt University

• Ethnic-racial Identities, Racial Biases, Perceived Discrimination, & Family Socialization Practices Among Emerging Adults - Presenting Author: Amy K Marks, Suffolk University; Non-Presenting Author: Kida Ejesi, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School

• Discrimination Among Cultural Minority Youth in Germany: Sense of Belonging, Socioemotional, and Academic Adjustment - Presenting Author: Linda Juang, Potsdam University; Non-Presenting Author: Maja K Schachner, University of Potsdam; Non-Presenting Author: Tugçe Aral, University of Potsdam; Non-Presenting Author: David Kunyu, University of Potsdam; Non-Presenting Author: Miriam Schwarzenthal, University of Potsdam