Black Adolescent Males: Intersections Among Their Gender Role Identity and Racial Identity and Associations With Self‐Concept (Global and School)

Abstract

Intersectional approaches for understanding identity have gained momentum in the social sciences. Black adolescent males are often perceived as threatening, underachieving, and hypermasculine, which is reinforced through media outlets and psychological research that portray them as a monolith rather than a heterogeneous group with multiple intersecting identities. This cross-sectional study of 70 Black adolescent males between 14 and 18 years old simultaneously explores their race and gender identities and associations with self-concept (global and school). Results demonstrated that participants reported a combination of feminine and masculine gender roles, rather than hypermasculine. A canonical correlation analysis found that Black racial identity attitudes (RIAS-L) and gender roles simultaneously contributed to significant relationships with total and school self-concept. Study limitations and future directions for research and practice are discussed.

Future Directions in Research and Intervention with Youths in Poverty

“…Research geared toward identifying how youth develop identities along multiple axes of difference is needed in order to learn about the diversity of pathways that promote resilience. For example, as Buckley (2017) recently demonstrated, considering gender roles alongside racial identity reveals that counter-stereotypes of either males or African Americans are protective for Black male adolescents.…”

Risk, Protection, and Identity Development in High‐Achieving Black Males in High School

“…In other words, Black males are acutely aware of their intersecting identities. For this reason, we surmise that understanding Black males' mathematics identity requires an intersectional, sociocultural approach to identity development that focuses on how the contexts in which these adolescents interact influence their racial identity in addition to their gender identity (Buckley, 2018;Nasir & Saxe, 2003).…”

African American Gender Roles: A Content Analysis of Empirical Research From 1981 to 2017

“…Across 11 studies, the authors highlighted the significance of gender role attitudes in predicting mental health and performance outcomes. In all but three of these studies (Buckley, 2017; Palapattu et al, 2006; Wester et al, 2006), researchers focused on African American women and girls. The most commonly explored mental health correlates of gender role attitudes were depression (including suicidality), anxiety, stress, and self-esteem.…”

“…Among African American men, gender role conflict was directly associated with mental distress (Wester et al, 2006). For African American adolescent boys, equal endorsement of masculine and feminine traits, alongside positive regard for one’s race, were associated with enhanced self-concept (Buckley, 2017). There was only one study with results that suggested there was no relationship between gender role attitudes and mental health outcomes (Pyant & Yanico, 1991).…”

“…This finding was evidenced throughout the analysis, specifically in Personality, Family and Gender Role Socialization, and Education/Vocation content areas. Overall, less traditional gender role attitudes and/or androgyny were associated with mental wellness (Buckley, 2017; Buckley & Carter, 2005; Littlefield, 2004; Napholz, 1994; Palapattu et al, 2006; Rederstorff et al, 2007), enhanced relationship quality (Riina & McHale, 2010; Stanik & Bryant, 2012), as well as positive vocational and educational outcomes (Eisele et al, 2009; Gushue & Whitson, 2006). We attest this pattern may persist because nontraditional gender roles closely align with African Americans’ self-ascribed gender conceptualizations (Abrams et al, 2016; Griffith & Cornish, 2018; Hammond & Mattis, 2005; Hunter & Davis, 1992; M.…”