Author Date

2023-4

Degree Name

BA

Department

Family Life

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Defense Date

2022-10-21

Publication Date

2022-12-30

First Faculty Advisor

Ashley Fraser

First Faculty Reader

Adam Rogers

Honors Coordinator

David Nelson

Keywords

Ethnic Identity, Discrimination, Depression, Anxiety, Ethnic Socialization, Race/Ethnicity

Abstract

Research would suggest that BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) adolescents have the best developmental outcomes when strong, positive ethnic identity is acknowledged and embraced. This study investigated whether discrimination, internalizing symptomology, parent socialization, and/or interactions of these variables influenced adolescent ethnic identity, specifically in exploration, resolution, and affirmation to illuminate nuanced ways BIPOC youth can achieve positive ethnic identity. Recruited from third-party research panels, surveyed participants were adolescents (Mage = 15.28; 51.6% male) of diverse racial/ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds from all regions of the U.S. Overall, the results showed that there were four significant main effects on ethnic identity: a negative relation between internalizing symptomology and exploration, a positive relation between parent socialization and exploration, a positive relation between parent socialization and resolution, and a negative relation between internalizing symptomology and affirmation. There were also two significant interactive effects such that (1) discrimination had a more negative relation with affirmation under condition of high internalizing, and (2) parent socialization had a more positive relation with affirmation under condition of high internalizing. Results evidence development of ethnic identity in adolescence is subject to multiple, interactive influences. Main and interactive effects highlighted a high-risk group of adolescents with higher internalizing symptomology that may need special consideration as they navigate ethnic identity development and experience discrimination. Results also suggest that parents have a significant impact on their child’s ethnic identity outcomes.

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