Making a case for race: Legal and psychological bases for considering ethnic and racial identity in parenting plan evaluations

Abstract

Ethnic-racial identity formation can be an important consideration in parenting plan evaluations, particularly for multi-racial/ethnic families and transracial families. This article discusses the literature regarding the relationship between positive ethnic-racial identity formation, positive psychosocial outcomes for children of color, and parental ethnic-racial socialization practices. Additionally, since ethnic-racial identity formation is a crucial developmental task relevant to the best interests of the child, this article also discusses how parenting plan evaluators can explore parental ability to promote a child's racial and ethnic identity development.