Ni Pardo, Ni Prieto: The Influence of Parental Skin Color Messaging on Heterosexual Emerging Adult White-Hispanic Women's Dating Beliefs

Abstract

The influence of Hispanic parental processes on daughters' intimate relationships have been widely studied in the psychology literature. However, although skin color values have been found to directly inform dating preferences, research examining the influence of parental skin color beliefs is non-existent. Thirty-four emerging adult Hispanic women participated in this qualitative study which examined their beliefs about parental skin color beliefs on dating preference decision-making processes. The study revealed that parents encouraged daughters to select partners with lighter skin. Significant differences between the ways parents and daughters constructed skin color meanings were noted, although daughters' potential partner skin color preferences were mixed. Results indicate that cultural competency training for clinicians should include understandings of meanings and values given to skin color. Therapeutic considerations for addressing skin color concerns with Hispanic female clients, including parental influences, within group differences and validation of skin color values, are addressed.

Intercultural Dating at Predominantly White Universities in the United States: The Maintenance and Crossing of Group Borders

“…One study of college students' intercultural dating behaviors and attitudes found that 90% of White men and 70% of Black men viewed Latinas as an attractive intercultural dating partner, whereas 60% of White men and 52% of Latino men viewed Black women as an attractive intercultural dating partner [31]. Much of this may be accounted for by the fact that many Latinas match the idealized popular image of American female beauty [26,31,32].…”

“…These factors include: length of time in the U.S., low levels of ethnic identification, high levels of English language acculturation, ethnically diverse social networks, and low ingroup bias and intergroup anxiety [26,32,36,37]. Research on rates of actual intercultural dating is mixed.…”

Parental and Cultural Influences on Hispanic College Women's Verbal Intimate Partner Violence Victimization: An Examination of Within-Group Differences

“…The effect of a premarital birth among cohabitating Hispanic couples on future marriage also differs, with an increased likelihood to marry for Mexican Americans and a decreased likelihood for Puerto Ricans to wed (Manning & Landale, 1996). Stephens, Fernandez, and Richman (2012) also found that Hispanic women with darker skin viewed themselves as less attractive, and were viewed as more likely to engage in sexual risk taking.…”

The Influence of Parental Aggression and Cultural Gender Role Beliefs on Hispanic College Women's Experiences with Psychological Aggression

“…Parental interactions influence daughters' ideas about themselves as a member of a relationship dyad (O'Sullivan et al, 2001;Raffaelli, & Ontai, 2001;Stephens et al, 2012). This becomes even more salient when examining populations where parental values are viewed as valuable and central to intimate relationship formation, as noted in Hispanic populations (Alleyne-Green et al, 2012;Castillo, Perez, Castillo, & Ghosheh, 2010).…”

“…Prior research in this area has largely focused on the influence of parental socialization and modeling processes on victimization and perpetration. This is because as the most proximal influence on their children, parents' behaviors serve as guidelines and examples that prepare them for intimate relationships (O'Sullivan, MeyerBahlburg, & Watkins, 2001;Raffaelli, & Ontai, 2001;Stephens, Fernandez, & Richman, 2012). Specifically, the Social Learning Theory-based IPV research suggests that children learn appropriate relationship behaviors directly by observing the ways their parents interact (Bandura, 1973;Halford, Sanders, & Behrens, 2000;Hines & Saudino, 2002;Kalmuss, 1984;Palazzolo, Roberto, & Babin, 2010;Skuja & Halford, 2004).…”