1-077 - Staring Down the Gauntlet: African American Boys’ Racial Discrimination Experiences in Relation to Positive Development

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Discrimination has been positively associated with distress as well as specific mental illnesses such as depression (Williams, Neighbors, & Jackson, 2002). Against the reality of heightened negative racial interactions and the many race related risks facing African American children this exploration of risks and protections linked to positive development is necessary. The relative contributions of parents, and prosocial adults (e.g. mentors and teachers), specific race-appropriate parenting practices like racial socialization, and teacher influence and attitudes on child outcomes are examined in this symposium.
The first study in this symposium explores the effect of school-based discrimination on the psychological well-being of African American boys. This study highlights the importance of racial socialization pride messages, positive peers, and affective control in contributing to the psychological well-being of African American boys. In the second study, authors take a longitudinal perspective to investigating school racial climate and its effect on child outcomes. This study examines African American boys’ perceptions of their school racial climate, teacher support, and attributions about success and failure. The third study examines the discrimination experiences of African American adolescents and emerging adults in connection to violent behaviors. The authors propose that racial private and public regard, as well as violent victimization experiences are related to violent behaviors especially in the context of discrimination. Together these studies highlight the role of mentors, parents, and teachers in supporting the positive development of African American boys living in the racially turbulent US context.

Sub Unit

• Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Chair

• Alvin Thomas, Palo Alto University

Discussant

• Alvin Thomas, Palo Alto University

Individual Presentations

• Parental and Mentor Influences on African American Boys’ Psychological Functioning - Presenting Author: Amardeep Khahra, Palo Alto University; Non-Presenting Author: Alvin Thomas, Palo Alto University

• Black Boys’ Academic Engagement: The Impact of School Racial Climate, Teacher Support and Attributions of Academic Success - Presenting Author: Alexandra Merritt, Virginia Commonwealth University; Non-Presenting Author: Fantasy Lozada, Virginia Commonwealth University; Non-Presenting Author: Stephanie Rowley, University of Michigan; Non-Presenting Author: Beth Kurtz-Costes, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Weight on Our Shoulders: The Impact of Discrimination on African-American Adolescents and Emerging-Adults’ Violent Behaviors - Presenting Author: Deonte Williams, Palo Alto University; Non-Presenting Author: Alvin Thomas, Palo Alto University