Parent and Peer Racial–Ethnic Socialization Facilitates Psychological Well-Being Via Proactive Coping: A Daily Diary Study

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the promotive and protective effects of parental and peer racial–ethnic socialization (RES) on adolescents’ psychological well-being in the context of racial–ethnic discrimination. We hypothesized that RES would buffer the pernicious effects of discrimination on well-being by promoting more proactive coping (problem solving, seeking social support) and less avoidant coping responses.

Method

Participants were a nationally representative sample of 371 ethnoracially minoritized adolescents who were recruited through a research survey panel (51.75% assigned female sex at birth; 46.90% Black, 24.80% Latine, 20.22% Asian/Asian American; mean age = 14.47 years, SD age = 1.46 years, range = 10-19 years). Participants completed daily surveys of exposure to racial–ethnic discrimination, RES, coping, and psychological well-being across 30 days.

Results

Results indicated parental cultural socialization promoted more positive next-day well-being via increased problem-solving coping (unstandardized B = 0.01, SE = 0.01, p < .05). The same pattern of findings emerged when examining cultural socialization messages from peers (unstandardized B = 0.02, SE = 0.01, p < .01) and preparation for bias messages from parents (unstandardized B = 0.02, SE = 0.01, p < .01). RES significantly moderated the effects of racial–ethnic discrimination on avoidance coping.

Conclusion

Findings suggest that RES from parents and peers may promote more positive psychological well-being in adolescents by facilitating proactive coping processes on days when they experience racial–ethnic discrimination. Overall, the study points to the need for continued efforts to develop, test, and disseminate evidence-based approaches to strengthening RES competency, as doing so may be a critical avenue for cultivating resilience among ethnoracially minoritized youth.

Plain language summary

This study explores how racial-ethnic socialization from parents and peers influences the psychological well-being of ethnoracially minoritized adolescents when they face racial-ethnic discrimination. Racial-ethnic socialization is a mechanism through which individuals transmit information and values about race, ethnicity, and racism. This study collected data from 371 adolescents who reported their daily experiences of discrimination, racial-ethnic socialization messages, coping strategies, and psychological well-being for 30 days. The results showed that racial-ethnic socialization messages, particularly cultural socialization (ie, cultural pride messages) and preparation for bias (ie, racism awareness and racial coping messages) promoted more proactive coping responses in youth, which in turn led to more positive psychological well-being on days when they experience racial-ethnic discrimination.