Identity exploration, discrimination, and information access among diverse youth and families during COVID-19

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Abstract

While much attention has been placed on children’s health needs and academic challenges during COVID-19, the pandemic has also amplified identity exploration processes and experiences of discrimination among diverse adolescent youth that are unfolding in dynamic ways in virtual settings. In addition, during a time when critical public health information is being communicated to citizens online, less attention has focused on whether the content and delivery of these messages are effective in reaching families from diverse cultural contexts.

This symposium brings together three studies highlighting online and video-based influences on identity exploration, discrimination, and information access among diverse youth and families during COVID-19. These studies represent different disciplinary perspectives—particularly psychology and communication sciences—to examine how the pandemic is shaping the lives of families and children from racially and culturally diverse groups.

Paper 1 will examine how adolescents reflect on their sense of self after viewing student-produced videos of mentored science learning activities between undergraduate mentors and high school mentees of color. Paper 2 will demonstrate how discrepancies in ethnic-racial identity affirmation between Chinese-American youth and their parents can influence the impact of online racial discrimination on youth anxiety. Paper 3 will present findings from focus groups and analyses of “big data” sources, such as Twitter conversations and online searches, to examine the impact of culturally-relevant local TV news segments on Latino parents’ child-supporting practices. Our discussant, a renowned expert on social inequality and racial/ethnic identity, will provide integrative comments focused on theory building and avenues for intervention.

Sub Unit

• Solicited Content: COVID-19 Related

Chair

• Matthew H Kim, University of Kentucky

Discussant

• Christia Spears Brown, University of Kentucky

Individual Presentations

• How does viewing mentored science learning activities shape adolescent identity during a pandemic? A qualitative study - Presenting Author: Matthew H Kim, University of Kentucky; Non-Presenting Author: Nicholette DeRosia, University of Oregon; Non-Presenting Author: Rachel Guldin, University of Oregon; Non-Presenting Author: Maya Lazaro, University of Oregon; Non-Presenting Author: Ross Anderson, Inflexion; Non-Presenting Author: Tracy Bousselot, Inflexion; Non-Presenting Author: Kristine Chadwick, Inflexion; Non-Presenting Author: Jenefer Husman, University of Oregon; Non-Presenting Author: Ed Madison, University of Oregon

• COVID-19 online racial discrimination and Chinese-American youth’s anxiety: The moderating role of ethnic-racial identity - Presenting Author: Hyun Su Cho, University of Maryland - Baltimore County; Non-Presenting Author: Charissa S. L. Cheah, University of Maryland - Baltimore County; Non-Presenting Author: Xiaoli Zong, University of Maryland - Baltimore County; Non-Presenting Author: Huiguang Ren, University of Maryland - Baltimore County; Non-Presenting Author: Hatice Gursoy, University of Maryland - Baltimore County; Non-Presenting Author: Christa Schmidt, University of Maryland - Baltimore County

• Broadening access to science-based information to curb the spread of COVID-19 among low-income Latino families - Presenting Author: Alicia Torres, Child Trends -Maryland