Parent–teen dyadic experiences of racism: Implications for Black familial racial socialization

Objective

Using a linked lives perspective, the current study sought to understand how patterns of racism experiences within Black parent–teen dyads affected the frequency and competency of racial socialization transmission.

Background

Racism in America has been pervasive, impacting Black families from cradle to grave. Acts of anti-Black racism influence the ways in which parents communicate about race to their children (i.e., racial socialization); however, research has not explored whether the linkages of racism experiences between parent and child are also influential for this process.

Method

Data were collected from Black parent–child dyads (N = 201) through Qualtrics Panel Management. Parents and youth each completed surveys about racial/ethnic identity, race-related stress, and racial socialization practices. A three-step latent profile analysis was conducted using MPlus software.

Results

Four distinguishable dyadic racism subgroups were identified: Low Parent–Teen Racism, Moderate Parent–Teen Racism, Moderate–High Parent, Low Teen Racism, and High Parent–Teen Racism. More racial socialization messages were transmitted in dyads with parents and teens reporting moderate to high levels of racism compared to dyads where teens reported low levels of racism. There were variations in parents' competency in delivering racial socialization messages across the four subgroups.

Conclusion

The consequences of racism may be underestimated by focusing on individual experiences and not accounting for the linked lives of Black parents and their adolescents.