Poster #65 - An Intergenerational Exploration of Ethnic-Racial Socialization Between Three Different Ethnic/Racial Populations

• In Event: Poster Session 07

Abstract

Ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) is a multidimensional concept that can be defined as the transmission of attitudes, beliefs and messages about ethnic-racial group membership (Hughes et al., 2006). Research has focused on ERS dimensions that center around messages/behaviors enhancing cultural pride and traditions (cultural socialization) and making children aware of potential racism while providing coping mechanisms (preparation for bias). Evidence of intergenerational transmission of ERS has shown that ethnic minority parents provide their children with messages and practices that are comparable to those that parents received as children. Within the extant literature, ERS messages in African American, Asian American and Hispanic/Latinx parents have been explored but primarily within groups; few studies have focused on between group comparisons (Hughes et al., 2008). The current study examines between group comparisons in the transmission of ERS messages between African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx and Asian American families. First, I aim to assess if there are between group differences regarding content transmission of cultural socialization and preparation for bias practices. The second aim examines whether there is evidence of intergenerational transmission of ERS messages from parent to child that reflect the same patterns of those received originally by the parent. Finally, is there evidence of transmission of ERS messages from parent to child within the face of racial discrimination? I hypothesize that parent memories of ERS practices from their own parents combined with their own experiences of racial discrimination will be associated with their decisions to employ certain ERS strategies.

Participants were recruited utilizing Amazon Mechanical Turk in a study to understand parenting practices across ethnic minority groups encompassing 436 individuals. The sample was comprised of 233 African Americans, 129 Hispanic/Latino parents, and 75 Asian Americans. Approximately 69% of the participants identified as male. Majority of the participants reported being married or partnered. Participants completed a questionnaire related to their ERS practices (Hughes & Chen, 1999), memories of ERS from their own parents as well as reported on their experiences with racial discrimination.

Correlations indicated that there is a positive relationship between participant memories of both ERS messages and the messages imparted to their youth. Additionally, perceived discrimination is positively corelated with ERS messages imparted to their youth, suggesting that parents who experienced racial discrimination also reported more cultural socialization and preparation for bias messages. Additionally, parents who remember receiving ERS practices from their own parents also reported more current racial discrimination. One-way ANOVAs were also conducted on ERS strategies and found that there were significant ethnic/racial group differences with regards to preparation for bias messages (Table 1). Post-hoc analyses found that Asian American parents were less likely to transmit preparation of bias messages than African American and Latinx parents (Table 1). Furthermore, perceived discrimination was found to be a mediator variable in determining the frequency of messages imparted to youth (Figure 1.). Implications from this work highlight the importance of studying ERS between different racial/ethnic groups and how this can shape parenting practices.

Authors

• Ryan Houston-Dial, University of South Carolina
  Presenting Author

• Meeta Banerjee, University of South Carolina