Post-Racial or Not? the Role of Racial-Ethnic Identity and Perceived Racial-Ethnic Barriers in Youth Problem Behaviors and Academic Achievement

We live in an increasingly diverse society (US Census, 2012), yet there exists the perception that race no longer matters. Are we really post-racial? Though some minority American students adopt a “raceless personae” to achieve success, race does matter (Fordham, 1998). Even though substantial research has focused on racial-ethnic identity (REI) development in minority youth (Santos & Collins, 2016), Phinney and colleagues (1993, 1997) suggest that REI is crucial to the development of self-concept for both majority and minority children, though ethnicity/nationality might be more salient for majority youth. Since Erickson (1968) indicates that identity forms in adolescence, most research focuses on this period. However, this process may begin earlier (Smith et al., 2009). Therefore, it is important to study REI during pre-adolescence and to examine its relationships with perceived racial-ethnic barriers, problem behaviors, and academic achievement. Gender differences deserve examination as well (Chavous et al., 2008).

This study examines relationships between racial-ethnic pride, perceived barriers, academic outcomes, problem and delinquent behaviors across gender and race. Data were collected from 697 youth (M=8.5 years, grades 2-5, 50.2% girls, 56.1% white, 33.9% African American, 10% Hispanic), participating in 75 afterschool programs. Pride (α=.67), barriers (α=.63), problem (α=.85) and delinquent behaviors (mean of vandalism, theft, experimentation with substances) were assessed in the fall (T1). Math and reading proficiency were evaluated by standardized tests in the spring (T2).

Independent t-tests revealed that minority children (African American &Hispanic had higher perceived barriers (t=2.73, p<.001). Path analysis revealed that after controlling for age, gender and minority status (MS), pride was negatively related to problem (β=-.18, p<.01) and delinquent behaviors (β=-.19, p<.01), and was positively related to math (β=.19, p<.05) and reading proficiency (β=.21, p<.05). Barriers were positively related to problem behaviors (β= .16, p<.01), and negatively related to math (β= -.22, p<.01) and reading (β=-.32, p<.001). Moreover, barriers x MS x gender interaction was found for problem (β=.52, p<.05) and delinquent behaviors (β=.29, p<.05). Multiple group analysis revealed that barriers were positively related to problem (β=.48, p<.001) and delinquent behaviors (β=.21, p<.05) particularly for minority girls.

The findings support the role of pride and perceived barriers in relationship to youth problem behavior and academic achievement for both minority and majority children, challenging the view that racial-ethnic issues do not apply to majority children, posing new questions for understanding race and ethnicity in the 21^st century.