Abstract
Everyday interactions with same-racial/ethnic others may confer positive benefits for adolescents, but the meaning of these interactions are likely influenced by individual differences and larger structural contexts. This study examined the situation-level association between contact with same-ethnic others and anxiety symptoms among a diverse sample of 306 racial/ethnic minority adolescents (Mage = 14 years; 66 % female), based on (1) individual differences in ethnic identity centrality and (2) developmental histories of transitions in diversity between elementary, middle, and high school. The results indicated that at the level of the situation, when adolescents interacted with more same-ethnic others, they reported fewer anxiety symptoms. Further, for adolescents who had experienced a transition in school diversity, the positive benefits of contact with same-ethnic others was only conferred for those who felt that their ethnicity was very important to them. The importance of examining individual differences within larger developmental histories to understand the everyday experiences of ethnic minority adolescents are discussed.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1628-1641 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Journal of Youth and Adolescence |
Volume | 43 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2014 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Social Psychology
- Education
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
Keywords
- Adolescence
- Diversity
- Ethnic identity
- Intragroup contact