Parent correlates of racial-ethnic socialization with Asian American preadolescents

• In Event: Racial-ethnic socialization among Asian American families in the U.S.

Abstract

Racial-ethnic socialization (RES) has many positive developmental effects for Asian American adolescents (Juang et al., 2017), but less is known about associations with preadolescent-age children or how parents’ racial-ethnic identity (REI), American identity, and perceived racial socialization efficacy influence their RES. The current study sought to address these gaps. Specific research questions were:
(a) To what extent is parents’ REI associated with their engagement in cultural socialization? Are these relationships moderated by their American identity and generational status?
(b) To what extent are parents’ experiences of racial discrimination associated with their engagement in racial socialization? Are these relationships moderated by parents’ racial socialization confidence and generational status?
Methods. Participants were 404 Asian American parents of children (ages 6-12). RES was assessed using four adapted subscales from the Asian American Parental Racial-Ethnic Socialization Scale (Juang et al., 2016): cultural maintenance, acculturation practices, awareness of anti-Asian discrimination, and minimization of racism. REI centrality and private regard were assessed using the adapted Multidimensional Inventory for Black Identity (Kiang et al., 2006). Parents were asked to rate their agreement with the statement, “I identify as being American.” Discrimination was assessed with the Brief Discrimination Scale (Pituc et al., 2009) and three items from the Everyday Discrimination Scale (Williams et al., 1997); an exploratory factor analysis identified two subscales: general- and perpetual foreigner (PF)-discrimination. Racial socialization confidence was assessed using an abbreviated version of the Racial Socialization Competency Scale (Anderson et al, 2020). See Table 1.
Results. Higher levels of REI were associated with greater engagement in cultural maintenance strategies, irrespective of parents’ strength of American identity, F(2, 77) = 0.21, p = .81. However, among parents with lower levels of REI, those with a stronger American identity (M = 2.26, SD = 0.49) reported lower levels of cultural maintenance engagement than those with a weaker American identity (M = 2.80, SD = 0.52), t(49) = 3.24, p < .01. See Figure 1.
Parents who reported experiencing more racial discrimination were more likely to raise awareness of anti-Asian discrimination with their children, but this was moderated by parent generational status: Among parents who reported lower rates of general discrimination, first-generation parents (M = 1.48, SD = 0.68) were less likely than second-generation parents (M = 2.00, SD = 0.95) to report discussing anti-Asian discrimination, F(1, 75) = 9.24, p < .01. However, among parents who reported higher rates of general discrimination, there was no difference in rates of discussing anti-Asian discrimination by generational status, F(1, 57) = 0.01, p = .94. Unexpectedly, more frequent experiences of racial discrimination were associated with higher rates of minimizing racism (b = .60, F(15, 340) = 4.33, p < .05 and b = .62, F(15, 341) = 4.26, p < .05 for general and PF-based discrimination, respectively).
Novel findings include the influence of both REI and American identity in informing Asian American parents’ cultural maintenance strategies, and experiences of racial discrimination in parents’ decisions to discuss anti-Asian discrimination with their children, among both first and second-generation parents.

Authors

• Anna M. Kimura, University of California - Los Angeles
  Presenting Author

• Rashmita S. Mistry, University of California - Los Angeles