Family matters: The influence of parental racial-ethnic socialization on the adoption of colorism

Sutton, Naya Cheyenne

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/115454 Copy

Description

Title

Family matters: The influence of parental racial-ethnic socialization on the adoption of colorism

Author(s)

Sutton, Naya Cheyenne

Issue Date

2022-04-14

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

McNeil Smith, Shardé

Committee Member(s)

Barton, Allen

Department of Study

Human Dvlpmt & Family Studies

Discipline

Human Dvlpmt & Family Studies

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

discrimination, adolescents

Abstract

Empirical evidence demonstrates that African American children are exposed to colorist ideology at a young age. At the same time, parents teach their children how to navigate a racialized society through a series of practices that may celebrate Blackness and promote positive cross-racial relationships. Despite these dynamics simultaneously being displayed in the African American community, the relation between colorism ideals and racial-ethnic socialization practices is unclear. Guided by the Cultural Asset and Skin Tone Trauma frameworks, the present study fills this gap by identifying: (a) the association between racial-socialization practices (i.e., racial pride, egalitarianism, and socialization behaviors) and youths’ adoption of colorism ideals (i.e., impression formation, attraction, affiliation, and upward mobility) and (b) whether this association varied by demographic characteristics (i.e., youth skin tone or gender). Utilizing data from 201 Black youth (Mage = 14.96, 55% female), a series of hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to examine the link between parental racial-ethnic socialization practices and adolescent colorism adoption. Findings revealed that messages of racial pride and egalitarianism from parents were negatively associated with youth adoption of colorism ideals whereas parents’ socialization behaviors were not associated with colorism ideals. This trend was found regardless of adolescent gender or skin tone. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Graduation Semester

2022-05

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2022 Naya Sutton

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