Ethnic and racial identity in adolescence: implications for psychosocial, academic, and health outcomes

Children's evaluations of direct and indirect bias justifications for same-race inclusion

Different forms of prejudice emerge in childhood, often referred to as direct and indirect bias. Little is known about children's evaluations of whether certain forms of bias are more okay than others, particularly in the context of peer and parental messages about interracial social inclusion. To address this gap, the current study investigated how Black and White American children aged 6 to 12 years (N = 219; Mage = 9.18 years, SD = 1.90; 51% female) evaluate vignettes in which a Black or White peer opted to include a same-race peer due to indirect bias (preferences for in-group similarity) or direct bias (expressions of out-group dislike). Data were collected in 2021 and 2022. Children evaluated same-race inclusion due to expressions of out-group dislike more negatively than same-race inclusion due to in-group similarity preference. They also evaluated same-race inclusion due to a preference for in-group similarity stated by peers more negatively than when stated by parents. Children evaluated same-race inclusion due to parental preference more positively when the child who included a same-race peer was Black than when the child who included a same-race peer was White. Participants who negatively evaluated same-race inclusion due to parental preference were more likely to use moral reasoning to justify their evaluations, whereas participants who positively evaluated this inclusion were more likely to use non-moral reasoning. This study revealed novel insights about how Black and White American children evaluate forms of direct and indirect bias as justifications for same-race inclusion and how their reasoning relates to their evaluations.

Examining how social class discrimination is associated with combustible tobacco use, nicotine vaping, and dual use among adolescents in California

Adolescents who are disadvantaged in social class are twice as likely to use tobacco than their counterparts. Despite extensive research showing how social class is associated with using tobacco products, there is limited knowledge about the association between the discrimination that adolescents experience because they are disadvantaged in social class and their use of tobacco products. To provide new knowledge, this cross-sectional study examined the association between social class discrimination and tobacco use among 1,678 adolescents at two public high schools in California. Social class discrimination was measured by assessing adolescents' experiences based on their social class. Tobacco use was measured with lifetime and past month use of combustible tobacco and nicotine vaping products, categorized into groups: no use, combustible tobacco use only, nicotine vaping use only, and dual use of combustible tobacco and nicotine vaping products. Multinomial logistic regression indicated that social class discrimination was positively associated with lifetime combustible tobacco use (RRR = 1.61), lifetime dual use (RRR = 1.42), and past month dual use (RRR = 1.81) compared to no use. Race/ethnicity modified these associations. Findings underscore the need for interventions addressing social class discrimination as a key social determinant of health to reduce tobacco use and mitigate health disparities among adolescents.

Differential associations between race-based traumatic stress and major, everyday, and vicarious racial discrimination among young adults of color

Race-based traumatic stress (RBTS) is a psychological response to racial discrimination among individuals with marginalized racial/ethnic identities, but the literature about how different forms of racial discrimination contribute to RBTS is lacking. We compared the effects of major, everyday, and vicarious racial discrimination on RBTS and evaluated the associations between ethnic-racial identity (ERI) and RBTS. Analyses used cross-sectional survey data from Black, Asian, and Latine young adults (N = 1,342, Mage = 25.9 years) collected in 2022. Demographic variables; major, everyday, and vicarious racial discrimination; ERI commitment and exploration; and RBTS were assessed. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to identify correlates of RBTS. Everyday, β = .37, p < .001; vicarious, β = .16, p < .001; and major racial discrimination, β = .16, p = .004, predicted RBTS. Neither ERI commitment nor ERI exploration was significantly associated with RBTS. Race did not moderate the associations between major, everyday, or vicarious discrimination and RBTS, highlighting that Black, Asian, and Latine young adults appear to be equally at risk. As most vicarious racial discrimination and RBTS research has focused on Black samples, we expand the literature by including Latine and Asian young adults. Our observation that vicarious racial discrimination was a similarly strong predictor of RBTS compared to everyday and major racial discrimination underscores the importance of its inclusion in research focused on discrimination and mental health. Taken together, clinical assessment should focus on questions related to diverse experiences of racial discrimination for individuals with marginalized racial identities.

"I want to lift my people up": Exploring the psychological correlates of racial themes within the life stories of midlife Black Americans

OBJECTIVE

This study explores how middle-aged Black Americans talk about race, without prompting, while telling their life stories.

METHOD

Drawing upon a dataset of lengthy Life Story Interviews (N = 70), we first employed a keyword search to identify race-relevant interview scenes for each participant. Next, we conducted a thematic analysis of these scenes to identify salient racial narrative themes. Finally, we coded race-relevant scenes to examine the psychological correlates of racial narrative themes.

RESULTS

We identified 460 total racially themed Life Story Interview scenes, with the number of racially themed scenes ranging from 1 to 17 across participants' interviews. Racial narrative themes included Community of Care, Black Cultural Identity, Multiculturalism, Activism, Encounter with Racism, Systemic Racism, and Racial Reckoning. Quantitative analyses highlight a relationship between racial narrative themes and psychological measures of wisdom and generativity.

CONCLUSION

This study offers insight into the ways that race manifests in the life stories of Black Americans and highlights the importance of considering race in the study of narrative identity, and personality, more broadly.

Social-Environmental Constraints on the Development of a Concealable Stigmatized Identity Predict Psychological Distress

People who are stigmatized along concealable features (e.g., individuals reporting adverse childhood experiences) often experience challenges to the self-concept, which can promote psychological distress. Developing a stigmatized identity might counter these effects, but the internality of concealable features can forestall this process: individuals may look to similarly-stigmatized others, but if these group members remain concealed (i.e., are not "out"), they are less identifiable as guides for development. In two studies (Ntotal = 845), less outness among similarly-stigmatized others in the social environment predicted increased distress-but only for individuals reporting low progress in processes of positive meaning-making (Studies 1 and 2) and exploration (Study 2). The interaction held when controlling for stigmatizing views endorsed by non-stigmatized counterparts (Study 2). Findings highlight similarly-stigmatized others as important constituents of the social environment: low group visibility and accessibility may uniquely contribute to distress for individuals at early phases of developing a positive and clear stigmatized identity.

Profiles of racial discussions and associations with parent sociocultural factors and internalized racism in Asian American families

While Asian American parents are key contributors in racially socializing their children, past research indicates that issues of race are not frequently discussed among Asian American families. Moreover, there is limited research on how Asian American parents' sociocultural factors predict the amount and ways they talk about race to their children. We conducted latent profile analyses among 150 Asian American parents' (Mage = 42.36, range = 26-65 years) racial discussions, and the profiles' association with parents' sociocultural factors (i.e., enculturation, acculturation, internalized racism, collectivism, and loss of face) were examined. Four distinct profiles were identified with distinct levels of awareness of discrimination, avoidance of outgroups, minimization of race, and promotion of equality messages. Findings underscore the importance of Asian American parents engaging in nuanced racial discussions with their children, highlighting the need for culturally responsive interventions, educational programs, and policy initiatives to support families in navigating complex racial landscapes and fostering positive youth outcomes.

The co-development of ethnic identity and future orientation among ethnically/racially minoritized adolescents: A parallel process model

This brief report examined the co-development of ethnic/racial identity (ERI) and future orientation among ethnically/racially minoritized adolescents. The current study used three waves of longitudinal data (N = 619) spanning 8th to 10th grades from a diverse sample (55.9% Latino/a/x, 21.2% biracial/multiethnic/other, 13.2% Asian, 9.7% Black; 54.1% female; 57.4% economically disadvantaged). We investigated the developmental trajectories of future orientation and ethnic identity and determined if these trajectories were interrelated. The results of the single and parallel process latent growth curve models showed that mean levels of ERI increased while future orientation decreased over time. Initial levels of ERI were significantly related to accelerated declines in future orientation. Exploratory analyses, which tested distinct forms of ethnic/racial discrimination as moderators, revealed that the negative association between ERI in 8th grade and the rate of change in future orientation was significant only at average and high levels of educator-perpetrated discrimination. These results point to complex interrelations between ERI formation and experiences of ethnic/racial discrimination and their influence on trajectories of future orientation during early to middle adolescence.

Children's evaluations of interracial peer inclusion and exclusion: The role of intimacy

The present study investigated how Black and White American children, ages 6 to 9.5 years and 9.5 to 12 years (N = 219, MAge = 9.18 years, SDAge = 1.90; 51% female) evaluated vignettes in which peers included a same- or cross-race peer in a high-intimacy or low-intimacy context. These data were collected from 2021 to 2022. Children expected characters to be less likely to include cross-race peers in high- than low-intimacy contexts. They also evaluated cross-race exclusion more negatively in high- and low-intimacy contexts. Black participants evaluated cross-race exclusion more negatively than did White participants. Older participants were more likely to personally include a cross-race peer. This study is a first step toward understanding the role of intimacy in cross-race peer relationships.

Predictors of Biracial adolescent racial self-categorization when confronted with monoracist demographic forms

The current study draws from literature on Multiracial ethnic-racial identity development processes and utilizes logistic regression models to identify what factors inform ethnic-racial self-categorization choices when confronted with a monoracial paradigm of race in a sample of Biracial high school students. Separate logistic regression models analyzed how family ethnic-racial socialization, phenotype, friend groups, and experiences with discrimination are associated with the racial category for Biracial White, Asian, Black, Native American, and Latinx youth, respectively, when asked to choose just one racial background. Results suggest that the associations of family ethnic-racial socialization, experiences with discrimination, and skin color with self-categorization vary in directionality and strength for different groups of Biracial adolescents. However, adolescents with a greater proportion of friends in a given ethnic-racial group were more likely to self-categorize with that respective ethnic-racial group across all models. These findings provide a nuanced understanding of how Biracial youth draw on various aspects of their lived experiences when confronting monoracism.

Exploring the Role of Ethnic Identity, Attachment, and Family Prosocial Opportunities on BIPOC Adolescents' Anxiety and Depression

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) adolescents experience oppressive mental health stressors and barriers to receiving treatment. Ethnic identity development, attachment to parents, and family prosocial opportunities have been associated with improved mental health outcomes in BIPOC adolescents, yet there is a dearth of literature examining the intersections of these variables on anxiety and depressive outcomes for this population. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between ethnic identity development, attachment to parents, family prosocial opportunities, and anxiety and depressive symptoms in a sample of BIPOC adolescents (N = 1424) in the Northeastern United States. Attachment to father (B =  - 0.14, p < 0.01), family prosocial opportunities (B =  - 0.51, p < 0.001), and ethnic identity development (B =  - 0.20, p < 0.001) emerged as significant protective factors of anxiety. Similarly, attachment to father (B =  - 0.14, p < 0.01), attachment to mother (B =  - 0.19, p < 0.05), family prosocial opportunities (B =  - 0.55, p < 0.001), and ethnic identity development (B =  - 0.14, p < 0.01) were significantly associated with decreased depressive symptoms. These findings suggest implications related to culturally responsive mental health prevention and intervention efforts for practitioners who serve BIPOC adolescents.

Out of the Mouths of Babes: Black Children's Experiences of Emotion-Focused Racial-Ethnic Socialization, Coping, and Antiracist Resistance

Black children in the U.S. learn from scaffolded parental teachings to help manage racial discrimination. Middle childhood is an understudied developmental period for this research. This paper builds upon research on culturally informed practices Black caregivers use to rear their young with a healthy identity and socio-emotional skills to navigate racism Guided by a phenomenological qualitative approach, we conducted focus groups with 39 Black children (Meanage = 7.67, 54% girls, 46% boys). Children reported that their parents imparted a sense of positive identity in terms of their cultural heritage, skin, and hair-areas in which they experienced frequent bullying. A uniqueness of our study is that Black children also reported learning emotion-centered coping strategies that focus on their inner strengths and private speech. They adopted a range of adaptive coping mechanisms such as kindness, ignoring perpetrators, centering their positive identity, identity framing, and fighting back. Through children's voices, we build upon previous research integrating racial-ethnic socialization (RES) with socio-emotional competencies in response to discrimination. We underscore the importance of exploring racial-ethnic identity development and socialization in childhood, a developmental period in which these processes are understudied.

Within-Person Fluctuations in Ethnic-Racial Affect and Discrimination-Based Stress: Moderation by Average Ethnic-Racial Affect and Stress

INTRODUCTION

Despite evidence highlighting the dynamic nature of ethnic-racial identity (ERI) development and the common occurrence of discriminatory experiences, many studies treat these constructs as static and equivalent across individuals. Drawing upon the Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST), this study examined the within-person covariations between ethnic-racial affect (individuals' positive feelings regarding their ethnic-racial background) and discrimination-based stress, and whether these relations were moderated by average affect and average stress.

METHOD

This study employed an intensive longitudinal design with 771 observations nested within 133 participants (Mage = 16.07, SD = 0.67), 52.3% were girls and ~93.3% were African American from Chicago, Illinois.

RESULTS

Results from the multilevel model analysis revealed that within-person fluctuations in ethnic-racial affect were predicted by discrimination-based stress and that these fluctuations were person-specific. Furthermore, findings from this study also showed that the within-person fluctuations in ethnic-racial affect in relation to stress from discrimination were weaker for those with higher average affect and stronger for those with higher average stress.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the dynamic and situational nature of developmental processes by emphasizing the within-person fluctuations and person-specificity. These findings highlight the importance of developing and delivering interventions and programs that promote positive ethnic-racial affect to mitigate the negative impact of discrimination. These initiatives should be offered consistently and tailored to address individuals' specific needs to maximize their effectiveness.

Complex Trauma Exposure and Placement Stability among Systems-Impacted Black and Latinx Youth: The Mediating Role of Multisystemic Strengths

The purpose of this study is to investigate the mediating role of multisystemic strengths in the association between complex trauma (CT) exposure and placement stability among racialized youth using the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strength (CANS) assessment. Participants were 4022 Black and Latinx youth in the child welfare system in a midwestern state. Negative binomial regressions revealed a significant indirect effect of CT exposure on placement stability through interpersonal strengths (p < .01), coping skills (p < .001), optimism (p < .01), and talents/interests (p < .05). At the familial level, there was a significant indirect effect of CT exposure on placement stability through family strengths and relationship permanence (p < .001). At the community level, educational system supports, and community resources indirectly impacted the relationship between CT exposure and placement stability (p < .01). These findings suggest that early interventions aimed at identifying and developing multisystemic strengths in Black and Latinx youth in the child welfare system can help maximize placement stability.

A scoping review of therapeutic mentoring for youth mental health

Introduction

Therapeutic mentoring, which leverages paraprofessional care, is a potential way to scale access to care to address the youth mental health crisis. This scoping review synthesizes the current state of research on self-designated therapeutic mentoring programs for youth mental health.

Method

A systematic search was conducted across four databases using the term "therapeutic mento*" and related keywords, taking a label-first approach to describe the available literature. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed articles about research on therapeutic mentoring in the US, written in English. Data were extracted on study characteristics, intervention details, mentor background, and outcomes.

Results

Eighteen empirical articles were identified, published between 2003 and 2024. Most studies focused on at-risk youth from diverse backgrounds. Therapeutic mentoring programming varied, although most (N = 13) studies examined the Campus Connections program. Mentors were typically trained paraprofessionals or undergraduate students supervised by clinical professionals. Only two randomized controlled trials were found, both of the Campus Connections program.

Discussion

The review revealed a lack of rigorous experimental studies on therapeutic mentoring efficacy, as defined by studies that use the term therapeutic mentoring. While some studies showed promising effects, more research is needed to establish the definition of therapeutic mentoring and whether it is an acceptable and effective intervention for youth mental health.

Conclusion

A clear definition of therapeutic mentoring is needed to advance the field and facilitate systematic evaluation of its effectiveness in supporting youth mental health. Future research should prioritize developing program models that align with diverse youth's cultural values, conducting randomized controlled trials, examining program components, and developing standardized measures for assessing therapeutic mentoring outcomes.

From home to community: The role of parenting and religious identity in Muslim American emerging adults' civic engagement

This study expanded on the existing literature by examining the unique associations between maternal religious socialization, as a form of cultural socialization, along with civic socialization practices, and Muslim American emerging adults' civic engagement. In addition, the mediating role of Muslim American emerging adults' religious identity in the association between maternal socialization practices and their civic attitudes and behaviors were assessed. Participants included 329 self-identified Muslim American emerging adults (Mage = 21.4, SDage = 1.9, 63% female). Path analysis results revealed indirect associations between maternal religious socialization and civic behaviors through religious identity private regard and a direct link between maternal civic socialization and civic attitudes. Thus, Muslim American emerging adults whose mothers engaged in transmitting their heritage values, beliefs, and virtues reported a greater sense of pride about their religious group and subsequent higher engagement in informal helping and lower engagement in political actions. Additionally, discussions about social and political issues with their mothers directly fostered Muslim American emerging adults' civic responsibility. Our findings revealed specificity in how civic engagement can be promoted and provided insights into efforts to build civic capacity for minoritized emerging adults.

Early adolescents' ethnic-racial identity in relation to longitudinal growth in perspective taking

Adolescents experience significant growth in social cognition, including perspective taking and identity formation. Due to the salience of race and ethnicity in the United States, adolescents' ethnic-racial identity (ERI) may have important implications for their sociocognitive development. The present study tested the association between ERI in early adolescence and subsequent longitudinal growth in perspective taking. Participants included 560 adolescents assessed annually over 4 years, beginning in sixth and seventh grade. Adolescents were from a small, rural community in the southeast United States and were from diverse ethnic-racial backgrounds (primarily Latine, Black/African American, and multiracial). Using linear growth curve modeling, we examined whether initial ERI predicted intercepts and slopes of longitudinal growth in perspective taking across adolescence. Results showed that the development of perspective taking differed based on initial ERI. Perspective taking increased significantly for youth with low and average levels of ERI but remained high and stable for youth at high levels of ERI. This study offers important evidence that Latine, Black, and multiracial youth who explore and find more clarity in their sense of ERI earlier in adolescence also show higher initial levels of perspective taking, which remains high across adolescence. Over time, most youth grow in perspective taking and eventually reach similar levels, but youth high in ERI reach these higher levels earlier than their peers, who had less sense of clarity about their ERI early in adolescence. This is one of the first known studies to directly test the association between ERI and perspective taking, utilizing a diverse, longitudinal sample of adolescents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Developmental trajectories of students' beliefs about social success: Differences between students with and without a middle school transition

INTRODUCTION

Attaining social success is a significant concern during early adolescence. The characteristics that youth believe will bring social success are known to change over time and vary across contexts, especially over the transition to middle school.

METHODS

The analytic sample included 614 students (52% girls, 48% boys; 53% Black, 47% White) from the Midwestern United States. At yearly intervals during grades 6-8, participants completed self-report surveys assessing their endorsement of five characteristics (sincerity, academic responsibility, dominance, disingenuity, athleticism/attractiveness) that described peers in their grade who have lots of friends and get along well with others (i.e., social success). The sample included students who attended the same school from kindergarten-eighth grade (K8) and students who made a transition from an elementary to a middle school after 6th grade (ESMS).

RESULTS

Multigroup longitudinal growth models revealed some concerning trends over time. For both ESMS and K8 students, their endorsement of sincerity decreased, their endorsement of disingenuity increased, and their endorsement of athleticism/attractiveness was high and stable. ESMS students' endorsement of academic responsibility decreased over time and their endorsement of dominance showed increasing trends. K8 students' endorsements of academic responsibility and dominance were stable. However, across contexts, compared to the other characteristics, sincerity was most often ranked the highest.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings highlight that some changes in students' beliefs about social success may be unique to students who experience a school transition whereas others may be developmentally normative. Implications for the education of young adolescent students are discussed.

Colliding Identities? The Role of Multiple Identities Among Historically Underrepresented Students Pursuing Scientific Research Careers

Motivated by Identity Integration and Threat theories, this preregistered study examined associations between scientist and ethnic identities and future scientific research career intentions among African American and Hispanic STEM undergraduates (N=1,247). Scientist identity was positively correlated with junior-year ethnic identity and predicted senior-year scientific research career intentions. Neither scientist nor ethnic identities predicted senior-year self-esteem (which may influence science career decisions). However, minority science training program (MSTP) enrollment influenced the relationship between scientist identity and self-esteem, and between ethnic identity (belongingness) and scientific research career intentions. Neither ethnicity nor gender were moderators. The results indicate that different identities can relate to one another and uniquely influence scientific research career decisions among African American and Hispanic students, especially among MSTP enrollees.

The Influence of Identity on Multiracial Emerging Adults' Health and Experiences Seeking Healthcare in the United States: a Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

The Multiracial population, defined as having parents who are of two or more racial groups, increased from 2.9% of the United States population in 2010 to 10.2% in 2020. Existing research focused on monoracial populations shows that racial disparities and discrimination affect health. This study explores how emerging adults ages 18-29, who identify as Multiracial, describe the impact of identity on their health and experiences seeking health care in the United States.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 participants in May 2021. Interview guide categories were the following: health and wellbeing, racial/ethnic identification, childhood upbringing, family influence, peer engagement, discrimination, forming resilience, language, and demographics. A thematic framework analysis was utilized.

RESULTS

Overarching themes were as follows: mental health and Multiracial identity-related stress, childhood experiences, healthcare experiences, influences on seeking or not seeking care, and the impact of identity on physical health. Our findings suggest that Multiracial emerging adults perceive their identity to influence mental health more than physical health.

CONCLUSION

Multiracial emerging adults face challenges with healthcare that are unique (e.g., discrimination based on identity defined or perceived by others) and others that are similar to their monoracial counterparts (e.g., structural racism, access to care). This study illustrates how structural factors trickle down to influence care sought and accessibility via socioeconomic status, insurance, childhood experiences, and racial and cultural beliefs about healthcare. Increased awareness and identification of Multiracial individuals and diversity in the workforce may help the US healthcare system better serve Multiracial emerging adults.

Ethnic Identity and Mechanisms of Mental Health Service Engagement Among Young Adults with Serious Mental Illnesses

PURPOSE

Young adults from minoritized racial and ethnic groups have lower rates of engagement in treatment for serious mental illnesses (SMI). Previous research suggests a relationship between ethnic identity development and engagement in mental health services, but it remains unclear how a sense of belonging and attachment to one's racial and ethnic group influences participation in treatment among young adults with SMI.

METHODS

Bivariate analyses and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to examine whether ethnic identity was associated with treatment engagement (attendance and investment in treatment) and how ethnic identity might influence engagement through theoretical proximal mediators. Eighty-three young adults with SMI (95% from minoritized racial and ethnic groups) were recruited from four outpatient psychiatric rehabilitation programs and assessed at least 3 months after initiating services.

RESULTS

Stronger ethnic identity was associated with greater investment in treatment but not with treatment attendance. The SEM analysis indicated that stronger ethnic identity may improve investment in treatment by enhancing hope (0.53, p < .05) and beliefs that mental health providers are credible (0.32, p < .05), and by increasing self-efficacy (-0.09, p < .05). Proximal mediators of engagement were associated with investment in treatment (hope and credibility, p < .05, and self-efficacy p = 0.055).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings provide preliminary evidence of an empirical and theoretical relationship between ethnic identity development and engagement in treatment among young adults with SMI. Assessment and strengthening of a young person's ethnic identity may be a promising approach for improving their engagement in services and reducing inequities in their care.

Different contexts - different stories: Adolescents' experiences of how ethnicity is addressed in schools and sports and on social media in Sweden

Ethnicity plays a significant role in adolescents' everyday lives, but there is a limited understanding of adolescents' own experiences with how ethnicity is addressed in different contexts. Three contexts of importance during adolescence are investigated in the present study: schools, social media, and sports. A closer contextual examination has the potential to provide insights into how multiple contexts shape experiences with ethnicity. The aim of the study was to understand more about adolescents' experiences of how ethnicity is addressed in schools, on social media, and in sports. Six focus groups with a total of 21 adolescents (Mage = 14.5, SDage = 0.5, female = 76%) discussed their experiences. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a close-to-data, inductive thematic analysis. The analysis resulted in three main themes and seven subthemes, indicating that ethnicity was addressed differently in the three studied contexts. For the main theme of how ethnicity was addressed in schools, the subthemes were: Addressing ethnicity is important; Ethnicity is addressed through stereotypes and Everyday racism. The main theme of ethnicity on social media consisted of two subthemes: Sharing ethnic and cultural narratives and Hateful remarks. The main theme of ethnicity in sports also consisted of two subthemes: On equal terms and Clear consequences for racist behaviors. To better understand the multiple contexts, the results are discussed guided by the ecological systems theory. The adolescents highlighted that there are many benefits of addressing ethnicity and that it is important to do so in multiple contexts of adolescent life, just not in the same way. When ethnicity was addressed carelessly, such as through stereotypes or via racism masked as jokes, it had the potential to cause harm. When ethnicity was addressed with reflection, it instead had the potential to build understanding, lead to positive experiences, and provide learning opportunities.

Ethnic-racial discrimination and socialization: Short-term longitudinal effects on Black and Latinx young adults' ethnic-racial identity

Short-term longitudinal data were used to examine how racial discrimination, cultural socialization (CS), and preparation for bias (PB) related to Black and Latinx young adults' public and private regard. Black (n = 90) and Latinx (n = 54) young adults (Mage = 20 years) were assessed at two time points, 6 weeks apart. Racial discrimination predicted lower levels of public regard 6 week later; whereas PB predicted greater levels of private regard. CS moderated the relations between racial discrimination and private regard suggesting that at low levels of CS, discrimination related to lower private regard 6 weeks later. Findings demonstrate the short-term effects of racial discrimination and suggest that ethnic-racial socialization is a salient cultural resource for young adults.

Coping with ethnic-racial discrimination: Protective-reactive effects of shift-and-persist coping on internalizing symptoms among Black American adolescents

Ethnic-racial discrimination has pervasive negative effects on Black youth's mental health; therefore, it is crucial to identify factors that provide resilience against discrimination. Two promising factors to help youth cope are ethnic-racial identity (how one feels about their ethnicity/race) and shift-and-persist coping (reappraising and accepting an uncontrollable stressor while remaining optimistic about the future). While there is existing scholarship on ethnic-racial identity among Black youth, this work has not yet assessed the impacts of shift-and-persist in this population. Using a sample of 155 Black youth (ages 13-17), the current study examined the interplay between discrimination, ethnic-racial identity, shift-and-persist coping, and internalizing symptoms. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were positively associated with discrimination and negatively associated with shift-and-persist. Significant interactions between discrimination and shift-and-persist predicting both depressive and anxiety symptoms revealed significant negative associations between shift-and-persist and internalizing symptoms at low and average, but not high discrimination levels. Effects are, thus, protective-reactive; the protective effects of shift-and-persist are not significant for youth facing high levels of discrimination. Ethnic-racial identity, surprisingly, was not significantly associated with either depressive or anxiety symptoms, nor did it interact with shift-and-persist as it has in studies of Latinx youth. By understanding the protective benefits of shift-and-persist and ethnic-racial identity in Black youth, during a pivotal period for mental health, we can provide this growing population with tools to lessen the maladaptive outcomes associated with discrimination.

A multisystem model for understanding stress and adaptation in ethnically and racially diverse youth

Contemporary biological and contextually based theoretical frameworks have conceptualized how stress exposure may influence adaptation in youth. However, nearly all of this scholarship neglects the role of specific contextual features and/or biological processes that are involved in ethnic-racial minority youth's responses and adaptation to sociocultural stressors. Drawing on the theoretical principles of the developmental psychopathology framework and contemporary models of stress and adaptation, this article proposes a new multisystem model that explains how multiple levels and systems within and outside of individual youth influence their sociocultural adaptation. We provide empirical evidence to support components of this multisystem model. We propose that research based on our new theoretical framework will capture the sociocultural experiences of ethnic-racial minority youth by centering processes that are relevant to their lived experiences, coping, and adjustment. In doing so, this model will inform psychosocial interventions focused on promoting healthy adaptation among ethnic and racial diverse youth. Finally, we offer recommendations to guide future research on stress and adaptation among ethnic and racial diverse youth, in particular, and developmental psychopathology more broadly.

Using Intersectionality to Understand How Structural Domains Are Embedded in Life Narratives

OBJECTIVE

This study draws on life narrative data and an intersectional framework to explore features of narratives around structural domains, aiming to better understand the possible impacts of these domains on identity.

METHOD

Through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 177 young adults from primarily minoritized groups (73% Asian American or Latine, 59% Women, Median Parent Income = $50,001 to $75,000), we gathered 885 life narratives. Young adults narrated a domain-general, ethnic/racial, gender, social class, and intersectional experience. Features capturing the content (Presence of Structural Domains, Connection to and Between Structural Domains) and process (Meaning Making, Affective Tone) of narratives were explored.

RESULTS

Structural domains manifested uniquely within narratives such that ethnicity/race was discussed most frequently across narratives, whereas gender and social class were mentioned more in narratives about those domains. Additionally, Meaning Making was highest in self-defining narratives and positively correlated with the number of structural domains present within and across narratives. Affective Tone was most positive in self-defining narratives and most negative in social class narratives, which also contained the lowest Connection to Structural Domain.

CONCLUSION

This study combines an intersectional framework and life narrative data to understand how structural domains manifest within young adults' experiences, revealing how those domains are interconnected and may impact identity.

It's Not Just Black and White: Identifying the Combined Influence of Multilevel Determinants of Tobacco Use Among Black Adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Black individuals are disproportionately affected by tobacco-related illnesses. Although tobacco use is often initiated in adolescence and risk factors thereof originate from multiple domains of influence, investigations of tobacco use among Black adolescents seldom consider these domains simultaneously. These examinations are needed to identify the impact of co-occurring risk factors on tobacco use and inform comprehensive tobacco prevention and treatment programs. Our study sought to identify the combined influence of factors across multiple domains on tobacco use among Black adolescents.

METHOD

Participants were non-Hispanic Black (N = 1,801) adolescent (ages 12 to 17 years) respondents from Wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study. Latent class analysis identified unique response patterns to items assessing the risk of tobacco use across sociocultural, environmental, psychological, and behavioral (e.g., alcohol use) domains. Subsequent logistic regressions compared the odds of ever and current tobacco use between the classes.

RESULTS

Four latent classes were identified. According to item response probabilities, they were named low risk (LR; 36.5%), low psychological (LP; 19.0%), high psychological (HP; 30.4%), and high social, psychological, and behavioral (HSPB; 14.1%) risk. The odds of ever and current tobacco use were highest among adolescents in the HSPB latent class compared with the other latent classes (odds ratio = 6.5 to 42.1).

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescents with the highest odds of tobacco use endorse multiple risks including feeling distress, perceiving tobacco as beneficial for handling stress, and using substances, and may prioritize the management of negative emotions over perceived health consequences from tobacco use. Multilevel interventions that incorporate the development of coping strategies for effectively handling negative affect may prove highly effective in preventing tobacco use among Black adolescents.

Intergenerational Storytelling and Positive Psychosocial Development: Stories as Developmental Resources for Marginalized Groups

ACADEMIC ABSTRACT

We articulate an intergenerational model of positive psychosocial development that centers storytelling in an ecological framework and is motivated by an orientation toward social justice. We bring together diverse literature (e.g., racial-ethnic socialization, family storytelling, narrative psychology) to argue that the intergenerational transmission of stories about one's group is equally important for elders and youth, and especially important for groups who are marginalized, because stories provide a developmental resource for resistance and resilience in the face of injustice. We describe how storytelling activities can support positive psychosocial development in culturally dynamic contexts and illustrate our model with a case study involving LGBTQ+ communities, arguing that intergenerational storytelling is uniquely important for this group given issues of access to stories. We argue that harnessing the power of intergenerational storytelling could provide a culturally safe and sustaining practice for fostering psychosocial development among LGBTQ+ people and other equity-seeking populations.

PUBLIC ABSTRACT

Understanding one's identity as part of a group with shared history and culture that has existed through time is important for positive psychological functioning. This is especially true for marginalized communities for whom identity-relevant knowledge is often erased, silenced, or distorted in mainstream public discourses (e.g., school curricula, news media, television, and film). To compensate for these limitations around access, one channel for the transmission of this knowledge is through oral storytelling between generations of elders and youth. Contemporary psychological science has often assumed that such storytelling occurs within families, but when families cannot or would not share such knowledge, youth suffer. We present a model of intergenerational storytelling that expands our ideas around who counts as "family" and how knowledge can be transmitted through alternative channels, using LGBTQ+ communities as a case example.

Psychological and Academic Adaptation Through Universal Ethnic Studies Classes: Results of a Natural Experiment

Schools in the United States are increasingly offering ethnic studies classes, which focus on exploring students' ethnic-racial identities (ERI) and critical analysis of systemic racism, to their diverse student bodies, yet scant research exists on their effectiveness for students of different ethnic-racial backgrounds in multiracial classrooms. A policy change to require all high school students in one school district to take an ethnic studies class facilitated a natural experiment for comparing the effects of quasi-random assignment to an ethnic studies class (treatment) relative to a traditional social studies class (control; e.g., U.S. Government, Human Geography). Student surveys and school administrative data were used to compare students' ERI development, well-being, and academic outcomes across ethnic studies and control classes. Participants (N = 535 9th graders; 66.1% ethnic studies) had diverse ethnic-racial (33.5% non-Latine White, 29.5% Black, 21.1% Latine, 10.7% biracial, 2.8% Asian, 2.2% Native American) and gender identities (44.7% female, 7.1% non-binary). Ethnic studies students reported marginally higher ERI exploration and resolution than controls, and sensitivity analyses showed a statistically significant effect on ERI among participants with complete midpoint surveys. Higher resolution was associated with better psychological well-being for all students and higher attendance for White students. Students with low middle school grades (GPA < 2.0) had better high school grades in core subjects when enrolled in ethnic studies than the control class. Overall, the results of this natural experiment provide preliminary support for ethnic studies classes as a method for promoting ERI development, well-being, attendance, and academic achievement for students from diverse ethnic-racial backgrounds.

Evaluating a School-Based Intervention on Adolescents' Ethnic-racial Identity in Sweden

Finding developmentally appropriate ways to support youth in understanding their own ethnic-racial identity is needed, particularly in contexts like Sweden where such support is not the norm. This preregistered longitudinal study examined whether an 8-week school-based intervention, the Identity Project, impacted youth ethnic-racial identity exploration (participation and search), resolution, private regard, and centrality. Participants were 509 adolescents in the 10th grade (Mage = 16.28, SD = 0.80; 65% self-identified girls; 52% minoritized ethnic background), who were randomized into an intervention or wait-list control group and assessed at baseline and three times post-intervention. The findings indicated an initial and simultaneous effect of the intervention only for exploration participation and resolution but did not show the expected chain of effects with earlier exploration predicting later resolution. Growth models indicated a greater increase in exploration participation over time for the intervention group than the control group. The findings indicate a mixed picture about the effectiveness of the intervention, with effects primarily narrowly targeted to exploration participation, but nevertheless highlight the potential for supporting Swedish youth in engaging with their ethnic-racial identities.

Longitudinal Associations Between Friendship Ethnic/Racial Composition and Ethnic/Racial Identity: The Role of School Ethnic/Racial Diversity

Schools and friendships represent important but distinct contexts for adolescent identity development. However, research has yet to explore the long-term interplay between these factors on ethnic/racial identity (ERI). This study included a sample of 640 adolescents from 9 public high schools in a diverse United States metropolis (Mage = 14.50, SD = 0.67; 44% Asian, 20% Black, 36% Latinx; female = 68%, male = 32%, non-binary = 0%). Latent growth curve modeling was conducted to investigate longitudinal associations in friendship ethnic/racial composition and ERI exploration. From the 9th-11th grades, same-race friends and ERI exploration increased linearly whereas friendship ethnic/racial diversity decreased linearly. Adolescents attending more ethnically/racially diverse schools maintained more ethnically/racially diverse friends over time but did not differ in changes in ERI exploration compared to adolescents in less diverse schools. There was no association between the rates at which adolescents' friendship ethnic/racial composition and ERI changed over time. More ethnically/racially diverse friends in the 9th-grade predicted faster increases in subsequent ERI exploration. The findings highlight important differences in the roles of friendship and school contexts on ERI, suggesting that friendship ethnic/racial diversity, but not school ethnic/racial diversity, facilitated ERI exploration over time. School ethnic/racial diversity did facilitate a slower decline in friendship ethnic/racial diversity, emphasizing the importance of school integration.

Children and adolescents rectify unequal allocations of leadership duties in the classroom

Little is known about how children and adolescents evaluate unequal teacher allocations of leadership duties based on ethnicity-race and gender in the classroom. U.S. boys and girls, White (40.7%), Multiracial (18.5%), Black/African American (16.0%), Latine (14.2%), Asian (5.5%), Pacific Islander (0.4%), and other (4.7%) ethnic-racial backgrounds, 8-14 years, N = 275, evaluated teacher allocations of high-status leadership positions favoring specific ethnic-racial or gender groups during 2018-2021. Adolescents, more than children, negatively evaluated unequal teacher allocations of leadership duties that resulted in group-based inequalities, expected peers who shared the identity of a group disadvantaged by the teacher's allocation to view it more negatively than others, and rectified inequalities. Understanding perceptions of teacher-based bias provides an opportunity for interventions designed to create fair and just classrooms that motivate all students to achieve.

The influence of ethnic-racial identity and discrimination on mental health treatment attitudes among college students

Objective: While understanding racial/ethnic disparities in mental health services use is a growing priority in colleges and universities, little is known the attitudes that may contribute to these disparities. Methods: This study investigates the relationship between clinic diversity, ethnic-racial identity, discrimination, and treatment attitudes. College students n = 250 (Asian 21%, Black 11%, Latinx 23%, and White 45%) participated in an online experimental task rating hypothetical clinic websites that varied by clinician diversity and completed a series of self-report questionnaires. Results: Clinician diversity did not influence treatment attitudes, but discrimination and ethnic-racial identity were significantly related to treatment attitudes. Additionally, the relationship between public regard and treatment attitudes was moderated by race/ethnicity. Conclusions: By focusing on treatment attitudes rather than behaviors, this study addresses potential areas of intervention to address racial/ethnic disparities in college mental health.

Promoting Adolescents' Heritage Cultural Identity Development: Exploring the Role of Autonomy and Relatedness Satisfaction in School-Based Interventions

Given the significance of heritage cultural identity for optimal adolescent development, it is imperative to investigate factors influencing the efficacy of interventions aimed at promoting heritage cultural identity. Using latent profile cluster analysis and multinomial logistic regressions, this longitudinal study examined how autonomy and relatedness need satisfaction at school (1) related to heritage cultural identity development trajectories, and (2) moderated effects of a school-based intervention. The study included N = 198 adolescents (Mage = 12.86 years, SDage = 0.75, 52% female, 41% immigrant descent, 49% intervention group) in Germany. Teacher-student relationships played an important role in facilitating intervention effects on identity development trajectories, emphasizing the importance of the relational context when implementing school-based interventions to promote heritage cultural identity development.

A Mixed Methods Study of Ethnic Identity and Mental Health Recovery Processes in Minoritized Young Adults

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Ethnic identity development is associated with positive mental health in young adults from ethnic minority groups. How a sense of belonging and attachment to one's ethnic culture is related to personal mental health recovery remains unexplained. This study examines the experiences of ethnic minority young adults in the U.S. to understand the aspects of culture and identity development that are relevant to their recovery processes.

METHODS

Young adults who were living with chronic mental disorders were recruited from four rehabilitation programs. Interviews produced quantitative and qualitative data. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used to integrate the qualitative findings from a sub-group of young adults (n = 44) with the results from the quantitative study. Directed content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data, and the integrated data were analyzed in joint displays.

RESULTS

The prominent themes characterizing ethnic identity development in personal recovery were (a) cultural history, traditions, and values; (b) mental illness stigma within the ethnic community; and (c) bias and discrimination in mental health services. Young adults with high ethnic identity development reported having more support from family, but they also described experiences with stigma and racism.

CONCLUSIONS

The integrated results suggest that ethnic identity development promotes mental health recovery in minoritized young adults through social support and improved well-being and resilience. Experiences of intersectional stigma and structural racism associated with ethnic identity can interfere with self-determination and access to care among minoritized Hispanic/Latine, Black, and multiracial young adults in the U.S.

School belonging mediates the longitudinal effects of racial/ethnic identity on academic achievement and emotional well-being among Black and Latinx adolescents

Social Identity Theory proposes that a positive in-group social identification fosters students' academic motivation and psychological well-being. The present study, grounded in Social Identity Theory, investigated the roles of racial/ethnicity identity (REI) in the development of school adjustment among Black and Latinx youth as well as the psychological mechanisms underlying these longitudinal associations. We hypothesized that REI would positively predict the development of academic achievement and emotional symptoms. In addition, we hypothesized that the development of school belonging would mediate the predictive effects of REI on the growth of academic achievement and emotional symptoms. Participants were 475 (n = 182 Black, 48.9% female; 293 Latinx, 47.8% female) students in Grades 7-9. Students self-reported their REI, school belonging, and emotional symptoms. Academic achievement was assessed using standardized achievement test scores. The longitudinal mediation models indicated that REI indirectly predicted the development of academic achievement and emotional symptoms through students' sense of school belonging. Specifically, higher REI embedded achievement and lower REI awareness of racism predicted higher school belonging in Grade 7. Higher Grade 7 school belonging in turn predicted faster academic growth in Grade 7 to Grade 9 as well as lower emotional symptoms in Grade 7. In addition, the three dimensions of REI also directly predicted the growth of academic achievement and emotional symptoms in Grades 7-9. The mediated effects were smaller in size than the direct effects. These findings highlight the importance of fostering positive REI and a strong sense of school belonging in promoting school adjustment among racial/ethnic minoritized, academically at-risk youth.

Perception Matters: The Influence of School Ethnic Racial Context on Ethnic Racial Identity Development for Black Adolescents

In the current study, latent growth curve modeling is used to explore growth in ethnic-racial identity (ERI) commitment from 9th to 12th grade as a function of two aspects of the school ethnic-racial environment-perceived representation among peers and perceived discrimination from peers. The participants included 237 students that self-identified as African American (Mage = 14.7; 50% female). The results showed that perceiving more Black peers at school buffered the negative impact of racial discrimination from peers on ERI commitment. Further, the positive impact of perceived representation remained significant even after controlling for other markers of school ethnic-racial context including objective representation and school ethnic-racial diversity. The findings have implications for the environmental factors that support ERI development as well as how we study and conceptualize the influence of the school ethnic-racial environment.

Racial Socialization and Black Adolescent Mental Health and Developmental Outcomes: A Critical Review and Future Directions

OBJECTIVE

Black American adolescents are beleaguered with the most frequent and severe experiences of racial discrimination (RD) among their peers. To protect Black adolescents' mental health and developmental outcomes from the pernicious impact of discrimination, parents and other proximal adults and peers often utilize racial socialization (RS), or communications and behaviors emphasizing the importance of race and the harms of racism. While several recent RS reviews have been conducted across ethnicity, a modern review investigating RS practices related to and predictive of Black adolescent psychosocial outcomes is needed.

METHOD

To ground our critical systematic review of 45 articles, we first highlighted the ways RD impacts the lives of Black adolescents. Then, drawing from integrative models for Black youth development, we synthesized recent psychological, academic, and sociocultural literatures to describe the role of RS in Black adolescents' wellness.

RESULTS

The impact of various tenets of RS was seen most clearly as a protective factor against RD with respect to adolescents' mental health (e.g. depression), academic achievement (e.g. GPA), and sociocultural identity (e.g. public and private racial regard) development. Cultural socialization, a strategy related to extolling pride for one's race, was the most consistent RS protective factor, with novel RS constructs (e.g. parental competency) emerging as a method to buffer youth internalizing and externalizing problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Recommendations are made for future research on understudied components of RS and multiple methods and reporters to capture a more holistic depiction of RS practices. We emphasize preventative and intervening approaches to reduce the impetus for RS and its impact, including burgeoning clinical and community-level programs and the importance for provider training to yield positive mental health outcomes for Black adolescents.

Perceived contact with friends from lower socioeconomic status reduces exclusion based on social class

This study investigated children's and adolescents' reasoning about intergroup exclusion based on social class from educational opportunities in Türkiye. The role of children's and adolescents' perceived contact with friends from different socioeconomic backgrounds on their evaluations of exclusion and personal solutions to the exclusion was also examined. Participants (N = 270) included 142 children (8-10 years old, Mage = 9.80; SD = 0.82; 53.5% girls) and 128 adolescents (14-16 years old, Mage = 15.46; SD = 0.91, 61.7% girls) from lower (N = 144) and higher (N = 126) socioeconomic backgrounds. Results showed that while most participants viewed social class-based exclusion as wrong, adolescents were more likely to view it as wrong than were children. Adolescents from lower SES approached social class-based exclusion as less acceptable than did adolescents from higher SES who referred to expectations about conformity to authority and the status quo. Moderation analyses showed that for adolescents from higher SES, higher perceived contact with friends from lower SES was associated with decreased acceptability of exclusion and increased motivation to provide equity. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Overall, adolescents living in a country with economic instability evaluated social class-based exclusion from educational opportunities among peers as unfair and wrong. Adolescents from lower SES viewed social class-based exclusion as less acceptable than did adolescents from higher SES. Adolescents from higher SES expected that excluders' intentions were motivated by conforming to authority and supporting the status quo more frequently than did children. For adolescents from higher SES, perceived contact with friends from lower SES was associated with decreased acceptability of exclusion and increased motivation to provide equity.

Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms Among Black American Adolescents: Sociocultural, Racism and Familial Predictors

OBJECTIVE

The development of depressive symptoms often increases in adolescence, and for Black American youth, can result in disproportionately long-lasting and deleterious outcomes. Despite the epidemiological trend, scant research has examined the longitudinal development of heterogeneous patterns of depressive symptoms among Black American youth. Moreover, less is known on the impact of contextual covariates on depressive symptom trajectories among Black American youth. The investigation into within-group differences of depressive symptoms is crucial for culturally informed interventions.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 472 Black American youth and their primary caregivers from eight counties in Georgia who provided data at five time points (i.e., youth ages 11 to 15). Hypotheses were tested with latent class growth analysis to investigate multiple trajectories of depressive symptoms, and examine sociocultural and familial covariates of trajectory group, including caregiver depressive symptoms, involved vigilant parenting, racial discrimination experiences, Black pride, and internalized racism.

RESULTS

Four-classes of depressive symptoms were identified including stable low (58.4%); high start, decreasing (20%); later onset (13%); and high and increasing (8.5%). Family and race-related predictors differentiated youth's depressive symptom trajectories class and identified warning signs for high-symptomology trajectories.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings provide novel insights into developmental patterns of depressive symptoms and the role of contextual and sociocultural factors within a sample of Black American youth. Implications include treatment and prevention recommendations.

Physical Pain Among Urban Native American Emerging Adults: Sociocultural Risk and Protective Factors

OBJECTIVE

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) people have high rates of physical pain. Pain is understudied in urban-dwelling, AI/AN emerging adults, a group with unique sociocultural risk and protective factors. We explore associations between socioeconomic disadvantage, additional sociocultural factors, and pain among urban AI/AN emerging adults.

METHODS

AI/AN participants aged 18-25 years ( N = 417) were recruited via social media. Regression models tested associations between socioeconomic disadvantage (income and ability to afford health care) and pain as well as additional sociocultural factors (discrimination, historical loss, cultural pride and belonging, visiting tribal lands) and pain. Multigroup regression models tested whether associations between sociocultural factors and pain differed between participants who were socioeconomically disadvantaged and those who were less disadvantaged.

RESULTS

In the full sample, lower income ( b = 1.00-1.48, p < .05), inability to afford health care ( b = 1.00, p = .011), discrimination ( b = 0.12, p = .001), and historical loss ( b = 0.24, p = .006) were positively associated with pain, whereas visiting tribal lands was negatively associated with pain ( b = -0.86 to -0.42, p < .05). In the multigroup model, visiting tribal lands 31+ days was negatively associated with pain only among the less socioeconomically disadvantaged group ( b = -1.48, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Socioeconomic disadvantage may, in part, drive pain disparities among AI/AN emerging adults and act as a barrier to benefitting from visiting tribal lands. Results support a biopsychosocial approach to targeting pain in this population, including addressing socioeconomic challenges and developing culturally informed, strengths-based interventions.

An Exploration of the Impact of Racism and Discrimination on the Mental Health of Latinx Youth

Latinx youth are at high risk of health and health care disparities. They are particularly vulnerable to mental health challenges due to the interplay of racism, health, and health care, which can be overwhelming for Latinx youth and their families to navigate. In this article, we provide an overview of the socio-demographics of Latinx youth living in the United States. Next, drawing on Borrell's framework for the effect of self-racial categorization, we review health disparities commonly experienced by Latinx youth with a more detailed description of mental health. We also explore the impact of racism and colorism on Latinx youth mental health and health care. Finally, we propose multiple strategies across levels to reduce the aforementioned disparities.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Tobacco Use among Latinx Parents in the USA

The current study aimed to understand the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and cultural factors on Latinx parents' tobacco use. Tobacco use is the leading cause of death among Latinx individuals in the USA, and parental use has long-term secondary harm for children. Thus, it is important to examine cultural protective factors that could prevent Latinx parents and children from the negative health effects of tobacco use. Data came from 2813 18- to 50-year-old Latinx respondents who participated in the Wave 3 of the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. They reported having children living in their household and had complete data for the variables of interest. In this sample (mean age = 33.5 years, 53.7% female), 16.4% (95%CI = 14.7%, 18.4%) and 7.4% (95%CI = 6.4%, 8.6%) were current and former smokers, respectively. The multivariate multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that experiencing more ACEs categories was associated with increased likelihood of current and former tobacco use compared to never use. Past year discrimination experiences and being US born (2nd and 3rd-generation parents) also increased the likelihood of current use. Differences in risk of current and former tobacco use were found based on respondents' country of origin, with protection against tobacco use found for most countries compared to being from Puerto Rico. Stronger ethnic-racial identity was not protective against tobacco use. Findings show the importance of considering ACEs and cultural factors when designing and implementing tobacco cessation programs for Latinx parents and increasing awareness of the impact of parents' tobacco use on their children.

Centering students' voices in the exploration of in-classroom culturally responsive practices

Scholars have developed culturally responsive frameworks and interventions to support educators as they aim to create inclusive and equitable classroom environments. Despite the number of frameworks on the topic, research on culturally responsive practices (CRPs) is limited by the lack of clear definitions or evidence on the effectiveness of in-classroom culturally responsive interventions. With the aim to understand which characteristics are important for in-classroom CRPs, this qualitative study explored students' perceptions of practices teachers use to respond to students' learning and cultural identities. We conducted 23 focus groups with 103 Black, Latine, and White students in middle and high school from two midwestern schools. After analyzing the data, we identified four overarching themes: (a) inclusive classroom instruction, (b) emotional safety in the classroom, (c) relational quality with the teachers, and (d) racism and other "isms" in the classroom. Students consistently commented on the importance of teacher support for students' emotional and academic well-being while also describing teachers that demeaned them or their peers, in turn, obstructing their learning. The findings hold promise to clarify and strengthen professional development CRP interventions as students offer insight about teacher cultural responsiveness and non-responsiveness.

Promoting Positive Development Among Racially and Ethnically Marginalized Youth: Advancing a Novel Model of Natural Mentoring

Racism and other forms of oppression threaten the well-being of racially and ethnically marginalized youth. Models of risk and resilience for marginalized youth have stressed the importance of addressing contextual and structural risk while emphasizing promotive factors such as cultural capital within their communities. Increasingly, research has focused on collective antiracist action as a form of coping with structural oppression. Importantly, supportive intergenerational relationships that develop within youths' everyday contexts may play a key role in catalyzing and reinforcing youths' engagement in antiracist action. This review advances a novel model for understanding how supportive nonparental adults from youths' everyday lives (i.e., natural mentors) influence youths' positive developmental outcomes and participation in antiracist action and how collective antiracist action, in turn, fosters liberation and racial justice. The creation of a more just and equitable society contributes to positive development among racially and ethnically marginalized youth.

Intergenerational Transmission of Ethnoracial Historical Trauma in the United States

Throughout time, ethnoracial groups have endured a range of traumatic experiences as historically marginalized members of the United States. The consequences of these experiences have been referred to as historical trauma (HT): a collective trauma, inflicted on a group of people who share a specific identity, that has psychological, physical, and social impacts on succeeding generations. In this review, we examine the literature on HT in relation to US ethnoracial groups by defining HT, providing a background for its development, and describing critiques of the concept. We then review the literature on HT in relation to Indigenous Americans, African Americans, and Asian Americans. For each group, we address the nature of HT, the transmission of HT and its impacts, and healing strategies. We conclude with a summary of the benefits, limitations, and complexities of HT research as well as recommendations for future work in this area.

The development of personality-From metatraits to facets-Across adolescence and into adulthood in a sample of Mexican-origin youth

The time between adolescence and adulthood is a transformative period of development. During these years, youth are exploring work, relationships, and worldviews while gaining the capacities needed to take on adult roles. These social and psychological processes are reflected in how personality develops across this period. Most youth personality development research has focused on the Big Five domains, ignoring the hierarchical structure of personality and missing broader, higher order processes and more specific, lower order processes. Toward a more comprehensive account, this study examines how personality develops from adolescence into the early years of adulthood at the metatrait (stability, plasticity), domain (Big Five), and facet levels. Data come from a longitudinal study of Mexican-origin youth (N = 645) with few socioeconomic resources who were assessed 5 times from Ages 14 to 23. We used latent growth curve models to investigate mean-level change, rank-order consistency, and the maintenance of trajectories for self-reported personality metatraits, domains, and facets. We found distinct developmental processes unfolding at each level of the hierarchy, including (a) mean-level changes in the metatraits and domains indicating increases in exploratory tendencies (i.e., plasticity) and maturity (i.e., increases in agreeableness and conscientiousness, decreases in neuroticism), and divergent change patterns between facets within each domain indicating nuanced maturational processes; (b) comparable levels of rank-order consistency for metatraits, domains, and facets; and (c) evidence that deviations from youth's developmental trajectories did not persist over time. Our findings offer insights into personality development that would be impossible to glean from the domain-level alone and adds needed sociocultural diversity to the literature. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Understanding the social identity of adolescents in the Indigenous Kodava Community of India

The social identity development of adolescents in marginalized communities across the globe holds paramount significance in determining the overall well-being of its future population. Focusing on one such community, the Kodavas, an Indigenous community in South India, this study aims to understand the shifting configurations of social identity based on the changing sociocultural structure and its implications on identity perception among the adolescents belonging to the Kodava community in Kodagu district in Karnataka, India. This study used a qualitative research design to develop an analytical framework of social identity formation and its transitions in the context of the Kodavas. Data were collected from 188 adolescents (47% boys, 53% girls) between 13 and 17 years (M age = 15 years), in the form of essay writing. The findings based on thematic analysis highlight the core traditional elements of Kodava identity, factors influencing the transition in identity, and its reflection in the contemporary period.

Cascading effects of Chinese American parents' COVID-19 racial discrimination and racial socialization on adolescents' adjustment

Using a three-wave longitudinal sample of 108 Chinese American parent-adolescent dyads (Mparent-ageW1 = 45.44 years, 17% fathers; Madolescent-ageW1 = 13.34 years, 50% boys), this study examined the effects of parents' COVID-19-related racial discrimination experiences on adolescents' ethnic identity exploration and anxiety as mediated by parents' awareness of discrimination (AOD) socialization and moderated by parents' anxiety and racial socialization competency (RSC). Parents' racial discrimination experiences in 2020 predicted adolescents' greater ethnic identity exploration or greater anxiety in 2022 via parents' greater use of AOD in 2021, depending on the levels of parents' anxiety and RSC. These findings highlighted individual and contextual factors impacting racial socialization processes in Chinese American families.

Moving Beyond Single Racial Identification: Considering Multiracial and Multiethnic Identification in Public Health

As multiracial and multiethnic youth populations are anticipated to be 11.3% of the U.S. population by 2060, it is essential that public health research and practice find ways to effectively capture and reach these diverse groups. Single racial identification has been a norm in public health practice; however, this method has limitations for capturing the health of multiracial and multiethnic individuals. Drawing on personal experience of the author and multidisciplinary scholarship, this research commentary examines the limitations of single race identification and how this influences the processes of racialization. The author provides important implications for public health research by suggesting more complex and effective ways to capture personal racial identification and racial perceptions and addresses how to reach multiracial and multiethnic groups through public health interventions where individuals might identify with multiple cultural identities.