Examining the Influence of Contextual Factors on Parent’s Cultural Socialization and Black and Latinx Children’s Ethnic Identity Development

• In Event: Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Topic - Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Abstract

Introduction: Unique sociocultural factors related to ethnic minority youth’s race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and neighborhood characteristics can support or impede their healthy development (Garcia Coll et al., 1996). Depending on the neighborhood’s contextual factors, parents of ethnic minority youth often adapt their parenting process, specifically ethnic-racial socialization approaches to further promote the optimal development of their children. Additionally, social disorganization theory (Shaw & McKay, 1942) describes how neighborhood poverty and ethnic heterogeneity can prevent neighborhood residents’ ability to unify around common goals, cultivate positive relationships, and develop shared norms and values. This later can indirectly affect ethnic identity development of youth in this neighborhood. Previous research has examined the effects of neighborhood environment on children. However, the current research is lacking in how parents’ ERS practices may be influenced by contextual factors in their neighborhood. Guided by the aforementioned theories, the purpose of this study is to examine the moderating effects of neighborhood contextual factors on the relation between ERS practices and ethnic identity development in Black and Latinx school-aged children over time.

Method: The families in this study are part of a multigroup longitudinal research project that began in 2010 with Black American and Latinx parent/child dyads when target children were 2½ years old. Data for these specific analyses were collected during waves 5 and 6, when children were in 4th and 5th grade, respectively. The total size of the sample is N = 311 (117 Black, 156 Latinx, and 38 Multiracial/Multiethnic). In 4th grade, both parents and children responded to questions about parents’ ethnic racial socialization messages using measures designed by Hughes and colleagues (Hughes, 2003; Hughes & Chen, 1997). At both time points, the target child responded to the Multidimensional Racial Socialization scale and the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM; Phinney, 1992), which was comprised of two subscales, ethnic identity search and affirmation and belonging. Neighborhood measures included ethnic composition, concentrated economic disadvantage, perceived physical and social disorder, and perceived collective efficacy. Missing data were handled using multiple imputation methods using auxiliary variables derived from available data using principle components of analysis (Howard, Rhemtulla, & Little, 2015).

Results: Preliminary analyses indicate that cultural socialization and preparation for bias were associated with higher levels of ethnic identity search in 4th grade as well as more positive change in ethnic identity search between 4th grade and 5th grade. However, although ethnic racial socialization was generally not associated with affirmation and belonging in 4th grade, it was associated with changes in affirmation and belonging between 4th grade and 5th grade. Specifically, preparation for bias in 4th grade was associated with positive change in affirmation and belonging between 4th grade and 5th grade, while cultural socialization and promotion of mistrust was associated with negative change. Neighborhood characteristics were not directly related to ethnic identity, either cross-sectionally nor longitudinally, nor did neighborhood factors moderate the association between ethnic racial socialization and ethnic identity. Multivariate analyses will examine whether these associations differed by child gender and/or ethnicity.

Authors

• LaRen Morton, University of Georgia
  Presenting Author

• Leslie Anderson, University of Southern Mississippi
  Non-Presenting Author

• Margaret O'Brien Caughy, University of Georgia
  Non-Presenting Author

• Omolola A. Odejimi, Texas Tech University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kimberly R. Osborne, Arizona State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Katharine Suma, University of Georgia
  Non-Presenting Author

• Todd D Little, Texas Tech University
  Non-Presenting Author