Black Fathers’ STEM-Focused Racial Socialization: Associations with Discrimination Experiences and Gender

• In Event: Racial Socialization and Positive Parenting Across Ages in African American Families

Abstract

Fathers’ socialization around STEM may be critical to the development of STEM interest and engagement (Kever, 2018). Investigations suggest that racially/culturally focused messages are instrumental in Black youths’ academic outcomes (Wang & Huguley, 2012).Though scholars have highlighted the roles that Black fathers play in the academic socialization and involvement of their children (Cooper, 2009; Cooper et al., 2020), little research has explored the ways in which Black fathers communicate racially/culturally focused STEM messages. An additional focus is understanding how the stress of racial discrimination experiences may shape fathers’ STEM-focused racial socialization messages (McNeil Smith et al, 2016). Seeking to extend the literature, the current investigation examines Black fathers’ STEM-focused racial socialization and the ways in which discrimination experiences (father, spouse, and child) may predict these practices. Additionally, how child’s gender may moderate the relation between discrimination and STEM-focused racial socialization was assessed.

Data were drawn from the Representations of Fatherhood: Roles, Awareness, and MEaning (REFRAME) study. Participants were 787 Black fathers (M= 38.96 years; SD= 9.97) with children between 8 and 17 years of age (M=12.03; SD= 2.85; 58%=male). Approximately fifty-eight percent of fathers were married or living with a partner. Additionally, 39% of fathers reported a high school education or less, 26% reported an associate/vocational degree, and 35% reported a bachelors degree or greater. Fifty-seven percent were fathers of sons.

Two items were used to assess fathers reports of engaging in STEM-focused racial socialization (Rowley et al., unpublished) The 2 items were: “How often have you discussed famous Black scientists?” and “How often have you tried to counter negative stereotypes about Blacks’ math and science abilities?”. Additionally, fathers reported on their level of stress associated with their own discrimination experiences and discrimination experiences of their spouse/partner and child.
Analyses revealed that Black fathers were more likely to try to counter stereotypes about Black Americans’ math and science abilities in conversations with their daughters, compared to sons (t(767)= 1.79, p< .05). Regression analyses, which controlled for key demographic variables in the first step, examined the direct association between Black American fathers’ discrimination stress/experiences (child; father; spouse/partner) and STEM-focused racial socialization.

Analyses revealed that relationships varied for fathers of sons versus daughters. Fathers’ stress associated with spouse’s discrimination experiences were associated with greater discussions about Black scientists (β= 0.15, p< .05); but, fathers’ stress about their daughters’ discrimination experiences were related to greater messages about countering stereotypes about the math and science abilities of Black Americans in conversations with their child (β= 0.17, p< .05). In contrast, fathers’ own experiences with racial discrimination (β= 0.17, p< .01) and child age (β= 0.21, p< .001) were associated with engaging in conversations that counter stereotypes about Black American’s math and science abilities. Findings suggest that, for girls, fathers’ STEM-focused racial socialization may be shaped by their assessment of and responses to both their daughters’ and spouse’s/partner’s discrimination experiences. However, for boys, our study suggests that fathers’ own discrimination experiences are more strongly associated with STEM-focused racial socialization messages for their sons.

Authors

• Marketa Burnett, University of Connecticut
  Presenting Author

• Shauna M. Cooper, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Non-Presenting Author

• Margarett McBride, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Non-Presenting Author

• Janae Shaheed, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Non-Presenting Author