White Parents’ Influence on White Children’s Racial Biases: A Longitudinal Randomized Controlled Study

• In Event: Whom to Trust and How to Share: Children and Adolescents’ Social Learning in Intergroup Contexts

Abstract

Starting as early as the preschool years, children—especially White children—display anti-Black biases that negatively affect Black children (Waxman, 2021). According to Developmental Intergroup Theory (Bigler & Liben, 2007), parents play a crucial role in children’s emerging understanding of social groups and children’s racial biases. Supporting this claim, research shows that the way parents discuss racial groups influences the extent to which children essentialize racial outgroups (Segall et al., 2015) and correlational studies reveal that parents with more positive racial attitudes have children with more positive racial attitudes (Degner & Dalege, 2013). However, experimental research has yet to examine whether parents could serve as interventionists to reduce children’s racial biases.

To fill this gap, we conducted a longitudinal randomized controlled study evaluating White parents’ ability to address their White children’s anti-Black biases. We chose this focus because White children show particularly robust racial biases towards Black children (Rizzo et al., 2021) and the racial hierarchy in the U.S. privileges White Americans in the highest status position with Black Americans at the opposite end of the spectrum (Rogers et al., 2021).

In a preregistered study, White parent-child dyads (N=230) were randomly assigned to an intervention or a carefully matched control condition. Parents in the intervention condition completed a training where they learned about the nature, prevalence, and consequences of children’s racial biases (Scott et al., 2022), and were taught strategies for addressing children’s racial biases. Families were then sent curated materials to practice using the strategies with their children. These materials included four race-related children’s books and discussion questions to prompt race-related discussions with their children. Parents completed surveys after reading each book and having conversations with their child to report on their experiences with the materials.

At baseline, 4 weeks, and 3 months, I collected qualitative and quantitative measures from parents and quantitative assessments from children. Parents and children completed the full study with low attrition. Qualitative responses were coded by two trained researchers and discrepancies were resolved by a third coder. Across all open-ended questions, parents provided overwhelmingly positive feedback that indicated deep engagement with the materials and appreciation of the program. Parents found the training, books, and discussion prompts all extremely useful and provided extensive positive feedback about each component of the program. When reporting on their plans for implementing what they learned in the future, parents frequently referred to the program materials—indicating that they learned the content—and many parents made notes about how they would engage in actions beyond the required program activities. On quantitative assessments, parents in the intervention condition (vs. control condition) reported significantly higher self-efficacy to address children’s biases at both 4 weeks (95% CI: [0.37, 0.79]) and 3 months (95% CI: [0.29, 0.78]). In contrast, children did not show changes on any quantitative measures (95% CIs all crossed 0).

Discussion will focus on sample characteristics, implications for future research in the parent-child context, and broadening of the approach to consider other influencers on the development of children’s racial cognition.

Authors

• Katharine Scott, Northwestern University
  Presenting Author

• Nicole Huth, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Patricia G. Devine, University of Wissonsin

• Kristin Shutts, University of Wisconsin - Madison