Caregiver Experiences of Discrimination and African American Adolescents’ Psychological Health Over Time

Abstract

The present study examined the effect of caregivers' experiences of racial discrimination on their adolescent children's psychological functioning among a sample of 264 African American dyads. Potential relations between caregiver discrimination experiences and a number of indicators of adolescents' (aged 12-17) psychological functioning over time were examined. It was found that caregiver discrimination experiences were positively related to adolescents' symptoms of depression and negatively related to their psychological well-being. Additional analysis revealed interactions between the effects of caregiver discrimination experiences and family income on all 3 outcomes. Greater caregiver discrimination experiences and lower family income were risk factors for the youth in the sample. These findings underscore the deleterious consequence of caregivers' discrimination experiences on African American youth's psychological health.

Considering the role of early discrimination experiences and the parent–child relationship in the development of disruptive behaviors in adolescence

“…Consistent with previous research we found that boys are at a greater risk than girls for engaging in disruptive behaviors (Brennan & Shaw, ; Leadbeater et al., ). However, and also consistent with previous research (Ford et al., ), in the context of PC experiences of discrimination, we found that boys and girls were of equal likelihood to engage in disruptive behaviors. Therefore, the present study suggests that there is not a differential response to parental discrimination by gender, such that boys and girls are at equal risk for engaging in disruptive behaviors in response to caregiver discrimination.…”

“…Thus, discrimination, whether experienced personally or vicariously through caregivers, may create a stressful environment, which in turn may play a key role in the development of children's disruptive behavior. Ford, Hurd, Jagers, and Sellers (2013) suggested that the quality of the relationship between caregivers and children might affect the extent to which caregiver discrimination relates to child outcomes. High rates of parent-child conflict are associated with more externalizing symptoms (Burt, McGue, Iacono, & Krueger, 2006;Klahr, McGue, Iacono, & Burt, 2011).…”

“…However, Ford et al. () did not find gender differences in the relationship between caregiver experiences of discrimination and adolescent depressive symptoms and psychological well‐being. The similarity in response to primary caregiver experience of discrimination across gender is consistent with previous research on adolescent experiences of discrimination, which suggests that boys and girls do not differ in their psychological responses to experiencing discrimination (Simons et al., ).…”

“…Ford, Hurd, Jagers, and Sellers () suggested that the quality of the relationship between caregivers and children might affect the extent to which caregiver discrimination relates to child outcomes. High rates of parent–child conflict are associated with more externalizing symptoms (Burt, McGue, Iacono, & Krueger, ; Klahr, McGue, Iacono, & Burt, ).…”

Effects of Mexican Immigrant Parents’ Daily Workplace Discrimination on Child Behavior and Family Functioning

“…Similarly, children fare worse when their parents experience workplace discrimination. When parents of African American early adolescents experienced workplace discrimination, their children reported more substance use and psychological distress (Ford, Hurd, Jagers, & Sellers, ; Gibbons, Gerrard, Cleveland, Wills, & Brody, ). Parental workplace discrimination was related to lower nonverbal ability scores, among Black children living in the United Kingdom (Kelly, Becares, & Nazroo, ).…”