title: It takes a village: protecting rural African American youth in the context of racism.
abstract: Prior research demonstrates negative consequences of racism, however, little is known about community, parenting, and intrapersonal mechanisms that protect youth. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study illuminated linkages between positive and negative contextual influences on rural African American adolescent outcomes. Quantitative results provide support for Structural Ecosystems Theory, in that the influence of discrimination and collective socialization on adolescent outcomes was mediated by racial socialization and positive parenting. Parenting and community influences contributed to adolescent racial identity and self image, which protected against common negative responses to racism; including academic underachievement, succumbing to peer pressure, and aggressive tendencies. Qualitative results indicate that current measures of discrimination may underestimate adolescents' experiences. Adolescents reported racist experiences in the domains of school, peers, and with the police (males only). Moreover, qualitative findings echoed and expanded quantitative results with respect to the importance of the protective nature of parents and communities.
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-6005, USA. cady.berkel@asu.edu
authors.forename: Cady
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berkel
authors.forename: Velma McBride
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Murry
authors.forename: Tera R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Hurt
authors.forename: Yi-fu
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Gene H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Brody
authors.forename: Ronald L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Simons
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cutrona
authors.forename: Frederick X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Gibbons
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D016487:Parenting; D016495:Police; D011287:Prejudice; D012424:Rural Population; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012933:Social Identification; D012944:Social Support; D012951:Socialization