Poster #105 - Exploring Black Adolescent Girls’ Ethnic-Racial Identity: Associations with Multi-Domain Self-Perceptions and Mental Health

• In Event: Poster Session 14

Abstract

Black girls have distinct experiences within their academic and social contexts (e.g., discrimination, awareness of white standards of beauty, colorism) that often shape their self-perceptions and their overall well-being (Adams et al., 2016; Burnett et al., 2022; Gadson & Lewis, 2022; Morris, 2007). Noting the rise in suicide rates and deteriorating mental health of Black girls observed in recent years, identifying cultural assets and strategies to promote the healthy development of Black girls is of pressing concern (Dean, 2020; Shain, 2019; Loyd et al., 2022). Ethnic-racial identity (ERI) can be a protective factor for Black girls, generally and in the context of race and gender discrimination (Butler-Barnes et al., 2018; Leath et al., 2019). However, little work has examined the relationship between ethnic-racial identity, self-perceptions, and mental health among Black adolescent girls.

Leveraging two independent samples of Black adolescent girls, this investigation seeks to address this gap by examining relationships among ERI, multidimensions of self-perceptions, and mental health. Specific research questions of this investigation are: 1) Is ERI associated with Black girls’ self-perceptions (general, academic, perceptions of attractiveness); 2) Are ERI dimensions related to Black adolescent girls’ mental health? Study 1 participants included 122 self-identified Black adolescent girls (M= 12.2 years; SD= 1.02) residing in a medium-sized Midwestern city. Sixty percent of the sample reported receiving free/reduced lunch. Study 2 participants included 68 self-identified Black adolescent girls (M= 12.2 years; SD= 1.02) residing in the Southeastern region of the United States. Approximately 52% of the study 2 sample reported receiving free-reduced lunch. The Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity-Teen was used to examine girls’ ERI (Scottham, Sellers, & Nguyen, 2008): 1) racial centrality (3 items; alpha = .73; e.g., “I feel close to other Black people.”); 2) private regard (3 items; alpha =.87; e.g., “I am happy that I am Black); and 3) public regard (3 items; alpha = .79; “People think that Blacks are as good as people from other races.” Self-perceptions measures included: 1) general self-esteem (“I feel that I have a number of good qualities.”), 2) academic self-esteem (“I am usually proud of my grades.”), and 3) perceptions of attractiveness (“I am happy with the way I look.”), and mental health (“I feel down and unhappy.”).

Regression analyses for study 1 indicated that higher private and public racial regard scores were associated with greater self-esteem among Black girls. Racial centrality predicted girls’ academic self-esteem, such that greater centrality was associated with more positive academic self-esteem. Additionally, regression analyses revealed that greater public regard was related to fewer reported depressive symptoms. For study 2, analyses indicated that greater racial centrality and private regard were associated with more positive perceptions of attractiveness among Black adolescent girls. Collectively, these findings suggest the importance of a multi-dimensional examination of both ERI and Black girls’ self-perceptions. Our findings suggest the importance of understanding how ERI can impact adolescent Black girls and influence self-perceptions and mental health among them.

Authors

• Zakiya Johnson, Iowa State University
  Presenting Author

• Shauna M. Cooper, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Marketa Burnett, University of Connecticut