Racial-ethnic identity development in children in a racial-ethnic minority group.

Abstract

The development of racial-ethnic identity was explored by asking children enrolled in early to mid primary grades to complete measures of cognitive development, racial-ethnic identity, implicit and explicit measures of self-esteem, and implicit and explicit measures of ingroup attitudes. Latent variable analyses indicated significant associations between level of cognitive maturity, racial-ethnic identity, positive ingroup evaluations, and high levels of self-esteem. Results support predictions from social identity theory and theories on racial-ethnic identity development. Development of racial-ethnic identity in children from racial-ethnic minority groups is a dynamic, affect-laden process involving integration of developmental, social, and contextual factors into an understanding of what it means to be a member of a racial-ethnic minority group.

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

“…8, No. 10; subject of various previous studies (Berkel et al, 2010;Becerra et al, 2009;Brown & Chu, 2012;Corenblum & Armstrong, 2012;Lysne & Levy, 1997;Merino et al, 2009a;Smith et al, 2003;Verkuyten & Thijs, 2006).…”

“…Ethnic or racial discrimination toward children and adolescents in school is associated with diverse, negative consequences for psychosocial, behavioral, and emotional functioning, and identity (Berkel et al, 2010;Becerra et al, 2009;Brown & Chu, 2012;Corenblum & Armstrong, 2012;Lysne & Levy, 1997;Merino et al, 2009a;Smith et al, 2003;Verkuyten & Thijs, 2006;White et al, 2014). Results from the current study carried out in three urban high schools suggest that the principal modes and of ethnic discrimination being expressed towards indigenous adolescents in the Chilean school context are: verbal discrimination which is manifested principally in the form of nicknames, teasing and inferiorizing comments; behavioral-attitudinal discrimination which is expressed by plaintive attitude, avoidance and/or segregation and transmission of low expectations; and institutional discrimination which unfolds in two ways: cultural pseudo-valorization and pedagogic despair.…”

“…Racial and ethnic discrimination have shown to generate a negative impact on targeted children and adolescents' psychosocial adjustment (Corenblum & Armstrong 2012;Lysne & Levy, 1997). This impedes the development of their ethnic identity and decreases their racial or ethnic pride (Smith et al, 2003), causing a reduced sense of security, feelings of social distancing, and a pessimistic view of the future (Becerra et al, 2009).…”

A culturally-sensitive model of the development of child anxiety.

“…Studies examining children's attitudes of in-and out-group membership have underscored the importance of considering ethnic identity during childhood. For example, robust in-group biases are generally present in children from majority ethnic-racial groups, while the in-group attitudes of children from minority groups range from positive to out-group bias (Corenblum & Armstrong, 2012).…”

“…Along these lines, studies of both racial and ethnic identity are included in this review, although the cultural dimension of one's identity will be defined as racial identity (Phinney, 1992) in the proposed model. Research on racial identity and mental health has primarily focused on adolescent and adult populations (see Williams, Chapman, Wong, & Turkheimer, 2012), although recent research has begun to examine the construct in children (APA, 2008;Corenblum & Armstrong, 2012). Studies examining children's attitudes of in-and out-group membership have underscored the importance of considering ethnic identity during childhood.…”