White privilege critical consciousness, racial attitudes, and intergroup anxiety among parents and adult children in White families

ABSTRACT Prejudice and discrimination toward Black individuals in the U.S. serves to maintain White privilege. This research integrated the tenets of social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1977) and White racial identity theory (Helms, 1990) to examine intraindividual associations (i.e., within a single person) and interindividual associations (i.e., between family members) among parents’ and adult children’s critical consciousness of their White privilege, (anti)racist attitudes, and intergroup anxiety. We also tested a series of mediation paths from parents’ White privilege critical consciousness to children’s outcomes to explore potential mechanisms by which racial attitudes and behaviors are associated among family members. This study highlights the intricate nature of White privilege in White families, and their links to both progressive and harmful race-related attitudes and behaviors.