Beyond Affirmation

Abstract

Identity development is a dynamic process which involves reconciling multiple messages. While ethnic minority adolescents' development is affected profoundly by discrimination, positive racial/ethnic encounters can also transform one's identity. Questionnaire data were gathered from 122 tenth-grade Mexican Americans in a low-performing school that had over 60% “Hispanic” students. Based on the data, 12 second-generation youth were selected for interviews based on their level of academic engagement and experiences with negative racial/ethnic encounters in school. Interviewees' descriptions of positive encounter experiences revealed ways in which schools can reinforce equal status and integrate Mexican American youth. Youth felt a renewed commitment to their ethnic selves when they participated in events that they perceived as dispelling stereotypes and when they had concrete experiences in which their bilingual competence was perceived as an asset. This qualitative study identifies avenues for future research on positive racial/ethnic encounters and academic engagement.

Ethnic Discrimination against Mapuche Students in Urban High Schools in the Araucanía Region, Chile

“…These attitudes and behaviors are perceived by Mapuche adolescents to convey a sense of inferiority and underestimation, making them feel uncomfortable and minimizing their ethnic pride. In fact, these attitudes and behaviors explicate students' ethnic shame at school, as it has been reported by some authors (Gonzalez, 2009;Lysne et al, 1997;Smith et al, 2003;Wong et al, 2003).…”

Ethnic pride, self-esteem, and school belonging: A reciprocal analysis over time.

“…Additionally, school belonging had significant effects on subsequent ethnic pride for boys, supporting previous qualitative research (e.g., Gonzalez, 2009) and theoretical work (PVEST; Spencer, 2006; Swanson et al, 2003). These findings suggest that, for boys, ethnic pride and school belonging demonstrate a transactional process across school transitions consistent with theoretical expectations (Sameroff, 2009; Spencer, 2006; Swanson et al, 2003).…”

“…Guided by earlier research and theory (Brown & Chu, 2012; Gonzalez, 2009; Juvonen, 2006; Rivas-Drake, Syed, et al, 2014; Sameroff, 2009; Spencer, 2006), the present study extended previous investigations by examining the longitudinal effects of ethnic pride and self-esteem on students’ feelings of belonging in school. We considered possible transactional effects among these constructs, and between ethnic pride and self-esteem (Sameroff, 2009).…”

“…Consistent with prior findings from a couple of studies (e.g., Cooper & Sánchez, 2016; Mandara et al, 2009), we found gender differences in some of the predicted effects among Mexican-origin adolescents. In the following sections, we discuss the stability of the constructs of interest, attend to the school transitions in the processes examined, and describe how the findings relate to theory (Gonzalez, 2009; Juvonen, 2006; Sameroff, 2009; Spencer, 2006). …”

“…Particularly for Mexican-origin students and students of color who may face unique challenges of being underrepresented in the educational pipeline (Yosso & Solórzano, 2006), experiences in school that validate the students’ identities may promote the development of ethnic affirmation, which would be considered an adaptive identity response in the PVEST (Spencer, 2006; Swanson et al, 2003). For example, in a qualitative study of Mexican-American adolescents in tenth grade, Gonzalez (2009) found that positive experiences in school can strengthen the ethnic self-identities of Mexican-origin students by providing an environment that promotes diversity and acceptance (Path D, Figure 1). Similarly, validation theory suggests that school environments that promote and validate student identities in school may contribute to students’ identity development and ethnic affirmation (Rendón Linares & Muñoz, 2011).…”