Facilitators or Gatekeepers: The Roles of Parents and Teachers in Children’s and Adolescents’ Intergroup Interactions

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Abstract

To facilitate positive intergroup interactions, children and adolescents need social environments where they can meet peers as equals with the support of authority figures, yet not all adult authority figures support such interactions. With a focus on racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse samples within and outside the U.S., each speaker in this symposium will present novel empirical evidence of the roles of parents and teachers as facilitators or gatekeepers of youth’ intergroup interactions. Beginning with parents, Paper 1 reveals when and why socioeconomically diverse Black and White U.S. parents limit their children’s interactions with gender, race, and social class outgroup members, highlighting concerns about difference and discrimination. However, focusing on Muslim American families, Paper 2 illustrates how maternal preparation for religious bias coupled with a warm parenting climate supports adolescents to address experiences of peer discrimination and continue to seek interactions across ethnic-cultural-religious lines. Investigating teachers, Paper 3 reveals that U.S. adolescents who believe their teachers accept bullying are less likely to personally intervene when White youth exclude Black, Arab, or Latinx recent immigrant peers. Yet, drawing on a large-scale RCT in Switzerland, Paper 4 demonstrates how a teacher-implemented classroom intervention builds friendships between children of different national and (dis)ability backgrounds by increasing identification across group lines. Every day children and adolescents around the world have the potential to benefit emotionally, socially, and academically from positive intergroup interactions; these findings advance developmental scientists’ understanding of the important roles that parents and teachers play in supporting or impeding such interactions.

Sub Unit

• Diversity, Equity & Social Justice

Chairs

• Laura Elenbaas, Purdue University, West Lafayette

• Aline Hitti, University of San Francisco

Individual Presentations

• “Not so sure”: U.S. Parents’ Comfort with their Children’s Intergroup Peer Interactions Differs by Gender, Race, and Social Class - Presenting Author: Laura Elenbaas, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Aline Hitti, University of San Francisco; Ellen Kneeskern, University of Rochester; Amanda Ackerman, University of Rochester; Kayla Fisher, University of Rochester

• Muslim American Adolescents’ Experiences of Discrimination and Intergroup Relationship Attitude: The role of Socialization and Maternal Warmth - Presenting Author: Hatice Gursoy, University of Maryland - Baltimore County; Hyun Su Cho, University of Maryland - Baltimore County; Charissa S. L. Cheah, University of Maryland - Baltimore County

• The role of Teachers in how U.S. Youth Evaluate and Respond to Immigrant Biased-Based Bullying - Presenting Author: Sydney R Klein, University of Connecticut; Rui Wu, University of Connecticut; Heena Shafique; Megan Clark Kelly, Siena College; Alaina Brenick, University of Connecticut

• Fostering Cross-Group Friendship and Inclusion in Schools: Recent Findings from the Friendship Project - A Multilevel Intergroup Intervention - Presenting Author: Jeanine Grütter, University of Konstanz; Carmen Barth, University of Konstanz; Zoran Kovacevic