The role of mothers' and adolescents' perceptions of ethnic-racial socialization in shaping ethnic-racial identity among early adolescent boys and girls.
The current study examined relationships between adolescents' and mothers' reports of ethnic-racial socialization and adolescents' ethnic-racial identity. The sample included 170 sixth graders (49% boys, 51% girls) and their mothers, all of whom identified as Black, Puerto Rican, Dominican, or Chinese. Two dimensions of ethnic-racial socialization (cultural socialization and preparation for bias) were evaluated alongside three dimensions of ethnic-racial identity (exploration, affirmation and belonging, and behavioral engagement). Mothers' reports of their cultural socialization predicted adolescents' reports, but only adolescents' reports predicted adolescents' ethnic-racial identity processes. Mothers' reports of preparation for bias predicted boys' but not girls' reports of preparation for bias. Again, only adolescents' reports of preparation for bias predicted their ethnic-racial identity. Thus, several gender differences in relationships emerged, with mothers' and adolescents' perceptions of cultural socialization, in particular, playing a more important role in girls' than in boys' identity processes. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research.
Hughes
Diane
D
Department of Applied Psychology, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, New York, NY, USA. diane.hughes@nyu.edu
Hagelskamp
Carolin
C
Way
Niobe
N
Foust
Monica D
MD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers; D011287:Prejudice; D012737:Sex Factors; D012933:Social Identification; D012951:Socialization; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data