Trajectories of perceived adult and peer discrimination among Black, Latino, and Asian American adolescents: Patterns and psychological correlates.

Abstract

This article presents results from a 3-year longitudinal study of the growth patterns and correlates of perceived discrimination by adults and by peers among Black, Latino, and Asian American high school students. Results revealed a linear increase over time in levels of perceived discrimination by adults, whereas perceptions of discrimination by peers remained stable over time. Asian American and non-Puerto Rican Latino adolescents (primarily Dominican) reported higher levels of peer and/or adult discrimination than did Puerto Rican youth, whereas Black adolescents reported a steeper increase over time in levels of perceived discrimination by peers and by adults than did Puerto Rican adolescents. Peer and adult discrimination was significantly associated with decreased self-esteem and increased depressive symptoms over time. Ethnic identity and ethnicity were found to moderate the relationships between perceived discrimination and changes in psychological well-being over time. Results underscore the need to include perceptions of discrimination when studying the development and well-being of ethnic minority adolescents.

National trends in school victimization among Asian American adolescents

“…This finding is consistent with studies showing that Asian Americans are more likely to experience racial discrimination at school, particularly from peers (Fisher, Wallace, & Fenton, 2000;Greene, Way, & Pahl, 2006;Qin, Way, & Rana, 2008;Rosenbloom & Way, 2004). In addition, the probability of experiencing race-related hate words for Asian Americans has been steady in the last decade at about 0.09.…”

Acculturation, Acculturative Stress, Religiosity and Psychological Adjustment among Muslim Arab American Adolescents

“…These results align with the previous research showing an association between acculturation, acculturative stress, and psychological problems across a variety of ethnic minority and/or immigrant groups (Lopez, Ehly, & Garcia-Vazquez, 2002) as well as with Arab American adolescents (Ahmed et al, 2011). Immigrant or ethnic minority groups who maintain their cultural traditions and values may experience fewer psychological problems because they are able to identify with, and feel a part of, their ethnic community (Greene, Way, & Pahl, 2006). This connection and support may, in turn, provide a buffer to stressors and reduce the likelihood for the manifestation of a psychological disorder.…”

School Racial Climate and the Academic Achievement of African American High School Students: The Mediating Role of School Engagement

“…Previous research supports this assertion and indicates that adolescent youth perceive differential treatment from same-age peers (DuBois, Burk-Braxton, Swenson, Tevendale & Hardesty, 2002;Fisher et al, 2000;. Peer racial discrimination manifests in multiple ways, including intentional or overt social exclusion, teasing, hitting, and unfair treatment based on ethnic group membership (Brown & Bigler, 2005;Chavous et al, 2008;Greene et al, 2006;Rosenbloom & Way, 2004;Verkuyten & Steenhuis, 2005;. The ethnic and racial hierarchies that emerge in classroom-based sociometric research (Graham, Taylor, & Hudley, 1998;Verkuyten & Kinket, 2000), in which ethnic minorities tend to have lower status and are ascribed less favorable characteristics when rated by peers, also suggests that implicit negative group stereotypes operate within same age-peer groups.…”

“…African American youth can experience school settings in ways that are notably distinct from the experiences of their peers (Fisher, Wallace, Fenton, 2000;Greene, Way, & Pahl, 2006;McLoyd & Steinberg, 1998;Rosenbloom, & Way, 2004). Although children as young as 5 years old are able to notice differential treatment across racial groups (Brown & Bigler, 2004), researchers have found that children's understanding of racial inequality, prejudice and discrimination becomes increasingly complex with age (Brown & Bigler, 2004;Quintana & Vera, 1999).…”

“…For instance in a sample of 3,071 adolescent youth ranging in age from 10-17, Romero and Roberts (1998) found that African American youth perceived more discrimination than their European-American, Mexican-American, and VietnameseAmerican counterparts. Research also indicates that African American youth experience this racially biased treatment even in the context of schooling (e.g., Fisher et al, 2000;Greene et al, 2006;Rosenbloom & Way, 2004;. For instance, Rosenbloom and Way (2004) used interviews and participant observations to describe how ethnic minority students in an urban high school experienced discrimination.…”