Cross‐Ethnic Friendships and Intergroup Attitudes Among Asian American Adolescents

This study examined cross‐ethnic friendship choices and intergroup attitudes in a sample of 762 sixth‐grade Asian American students (M_age = 11.5 years) attending 1 of 19 middle schools that varied in ethnic composition. Multiple measures of friendship (quantity and quality) and intergroup attitudes (affective, cognitive, behavioral) toward White, Latino, and Black grademates were assessed. The results showed that Asian American students overnominated White students and undernominated Latino and Black students as their friends when school availability of each ethnic group was accounted for. Cross‐ethnic friendships were related to better intergroup attitudes, especially the behavioral dimension of attitudes. Cross‐ethnic friendships were least likely to change attitudes toward Blacks. Implications for future research, educational practice, and attitude intervention programs were discussed.     

Caregiver Experiences of Discrimination and African American Adolescents’ Psychological Health Over Time

The present study examined the effect of caregivers' experiences of racial discrimination on their adolescent children's psychological functioning among a sample of 264 African American dyads. Potential relations between caregiver discrimination experiences and a number of indicators of adolescents' (aged 12–17) psychological functioning over time were examined. It was found that caregiver discrimination experiences were positively related to adolescents' symptoms of depression and negatively related to their psychological well‐being. Additional analysis revealed interactions between the effects of caregiver discrimination experiences and family income on all 3 outcomes. Greater caregiver discrimination experiences and lower family income were risk factors for the youth in the sample. These findings underscore the deleterious consequence of caregivers' discrimination experiences on African American youth's psychological health.     

Psychosocial Benefits of Cross‐Ethnic Friendships in Urban Middle Schools

To examine the unique functions of same‐ and cross‐ethnic friendships, Latino (n = 536) and African American (n = 396) sixth‐grade students (M_age = 11.5 years) were recruited from 66 classrooms in 10 middle schools that varied in ethnic diversity. Participants reported on the number of same‐ and cross‐ethnic friends, perceived vulnerability, friendship quality, and the private regard dimension of ethnic identity. Whereas same‐ethnic friendships were uniquely associated with stronger private regard, more ethnic diversity and cross‐ethnic friendships were uniquely associated with less perceived vulnerability. Multilevel structural equation modeling tested whether cross‐ethnic friendships mediated the diversity‐vulnerability relation. Although cross‐ethnic friendships did not significantly mediate this relation at the classroom level, these friendships predicted less vulnerability at the individual student level.     

A Model of Maternal and Paternal Ethnic Socialization of Mexican‐American Adolescents’ Self‐Views

Data from a sample of 462 Mexican‐American adolescents (M = 10.4 years, SD = .55; 48.1% girls), mothers, and fathers were used to test an ethnic socialization model of ethnic identity and self‐efficacy that also considered mainstream parenting styles (e.g., authoritative parenting). Findings supported the ethnic socialization model: parents’ endorsement of Mexican‐American values were associated with ethnic socialization at fifth grade and seventh grade; maternal ethnic socialization at fifth grade and paternal ethnic socialization at seventh grade were associated with adolescents’ ethnic identity exploration at 10th grade and, in turn, self‐efficacy at 12th grade. The findings support ethnic socialization conceptions of how self‐views of ethnicity develop from childhood across adolescence in Mexican‐American children.     

Social Identity Complexity,Cross‐Ethnic Friendships,and Intergroup Attitudes in Urban Middle Schools

This study investigated contextual antecedents (i.e., cross‐ethnic peers and friends) and correlates (i.e., intergroup attitudes) of social identity complexity in seventh grade. Social identity complexity refers to the perceived overlap among social groups with which youth identify. Identifying mostly with out‐of‐school sports, religious affiliations, and peer crowds, the ethnically diverse sample (N = 622; M_age in seventh grade = 12.56) showed moderately high complexity. Social identity complexity mediated the link between cross‐ethnic friendships and ethnic intergroup attitudes, but only when adolescents had a high proportion of cross‐ethnic peers at school. Results are discussed in terms of how school diversity can promote complex social identities and positive intergroup attitudes.     

Racial Disparities in Sleep: Associations With Discrimination Among Ethnic/Racial Minority Adolescents

This study investigates the same-day associations between discrimination and sleep among 350 adolescents ages 13–15 (M = 14.29, SD = 0.65; Asian = 41%, Black = 22%, Latinx = 37%). Assessing sleep duration, sleep onset latency, and wake minutes after sleep onset using wrist actigraphy, Black adolescents slept 35 min less than Asian and 36 min less than Latinx youth. Black adolescents suffered the most wake minutes after sleep onset, followed by Latinx and Asian youth. Latinx youth reported the highest levels of sleep disturbance, whereas Asian youth reported the highest levels of daytime dysfunction. Daily discrimination was associated with lower levels of same-night sleep onset latency, more sleep disturbance, more next-day daytime dysfunction, and higher next-day daytime sleepiness.     

Ethnic‐Racial Identity and Friendships in Early Adolescence

The current study examined how adolescents' ethnic‐racial identity (ERI) informed the demographic diversity of their friendship network (Goal 1) and the extent of similarity between adolescents' and their friends' ERI (Goal 2). Participants were sixth and seventh grade students (N = 353; M_age = 11.88, SD = .73; 50% girls; 29% African American, 31% White, 13% Latino) in the Midwestern U.S. Results from longitudinal cross‐lagged models (Goal 1) indicated that having more diverse friendships at T2 was associated with greater T3 ERI exploration among all youth. In addition, boys who reported higher ERI resolution at T1 had more diverse friendships at T2. Furthermore, findings from longitudinal social network analyses (SNA; Goal 2) suggested that influence drove similarity between adolescents and their friends in ERI exploration and resolution.     

The Influence of Adult and Peer Role Models on Children’ and Adolescents’ Sharing Decisions

This study explores how the age (adult vs. peer) and the suggestion (to be fair vs. unfair) of models affect the sharing decisions of 9‐ and 12‐year‐olds (N = 365) from Italy and Singapore. Results demonstrate a developmental shift in the influence of models on children's and adolescents’ sharing decisions in both cultures: Children's decisions were more affected by an adult model's suggestion than by that of a peer model, whereas the opposite was true for adolescents. Regardless of the models’ influence, participants considered equal sharing to be the fair choice and reported being happier when their sharing decisions were generous. Our results highlight the crucial importance of social and developmental factors for the promotion of fairness judgments and emotions.     

The Effects of Changes in Racial Identity and Self‐Esteem on Changes in African American Adolescents’ Mental Health

This study assessed the unique effects of racial identity and self‐esteem on 259 African American adolescents’ depressive and anxiety symptoms as they transitioned from the 7th to 8th grades (ages 12–14). Racial identity and self‐esteem were strongly correlated with each other for males but not for females. For both males and females, an increase in racial identity over the 1 year was associated with a decrease in the prevalence of depressive symptoms over the same period, even with self‐esteem controlled. It was concluded that racial identity may be as important as self‐esteem to the mental health of African American adolescents, and it explains variance in their mental health not associated with feelings of oneself as an individual.     

The Impact of Childhood Deprivation on Employees’ Capacity to Perform at Work and Organizational Well‐Being

This article raises awareness and offers a conceptual framework for the effects of childhood deprivation on adult employees’ performance, as well as organizational and societal well‐being. It provides a comprehensive set of physiological and psychological development‐related variables on childhood deprivation with propositions and practical implication. By examining the nature and causes of childhood deprivation, emotional limitations associated with adult workers’ disruptive attitude, behavior, and performance can be better interpreted and improved.     

A Small‐Scale Randomized Efficacy Trial of the Identity Project: Promoting Adolescents’ Ethnic–Racial Identity Exploration and Resolution

Adolescents’ ethnic–racial identity (ERI) formation represents an important developmental process that is associated with adjustment. The Identity Project intervention, grounded in developmental theory, was designed to engage adolescents in the ERI processes of exploration and resolution. The current small‐scale efficacy trial involved an ethnic–racially diverse sample of adolescents (N = 215; M_age = 15.02, SD = .68) from eight classrooms that were randomly assigned by classroom to the intervention or attention control group. Differences between conditions in ERI exploration at Time 2 were consistent with desired intervention effects; furthermore, higher levels of ERI exploration at Time 2 predicted increases in ERI resolution at Time 3 only for youth in the treatment condition. Findings provide preliminary evidence of program efficacy.     

The Relationship Between Sibling Maltreatment and College Students' Sense of Well‐Being

Empirical research on sibling abuse has been overwhelmingly absent from the professional literature. This exploratory study used a survey instrument to investigate the question of whether the experience of sibling abuse influences the sense of well‐being in college students. A linear multiple regression analysis indicated that experience with sibling abuse, either as a survivor or as a perpetrator, does have an impact on perception of well‐being. Implications of these findings for future research are discussed.     

Kinship and Nonrelative Foster Care: The Effect of Placement Type on Child Well‐Being

This study uses a national sample of 1,215 children, ages 6–17, who spent some time in formal kinship or nonrelative foster care to identify the effect of placement type on academic achievement, behavior, and health. Several identification strategies are used to reduce selection bias, including ordinary least squares, change score models, propensity score weighting, and instrumental variables regression. The results consistently estimate a negative effect of kin placements on reading scores, but kin placements appear to have no effect on child health, and findings on children's math and cognitive skills test scores and behavioral problems are mixed. Estimated declines in both academic achievement and behavioral problems are concentrated among children who are lower functioning at baseline.     

Processes of Early Childhood Interventions to Adult Well‐Being

This article describes the contributions of cognitive–scholastic advantage, family support behavior, and school quality and support as processes through which early childhood interventions promote well‐being. Evidence in support of these processes is from longitudinal cohort studies of the Child–Parent Centers and other preventive interventions beginning by age 4. Relatively large effects of participation have been documented for school readiness skills at age 5, parent involvement, K‐12 achievement, remedial education, educational attainment, and crime prevention. The three processes account for up to half of the program impacts on well‐being. They also help to explain the positive economic returns of many effective programs. The generalizability of these processes is supported by a sizable knowledge base, including a scale up of the Child–Parent Centers.     

Factors Influencing Counselor Educators' Subjective Sense of Well‐Being

A national survey of 230 counselor educators was conducted to examine issues that encourage or discourage these educators to continue as faculty members. Three of the 5 factors (Organizational Control, Internal Control and Rewards, and Time and Effort Management) identified in a factor analysis of the 91‐item, author‐developed questionnaire (Pluses and Minuses of Being a Counselor Educator) were found to be correlated (p < .01) with the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness (M. J. Stones & A. Kozma, 1994). The factors and their relationship to counselor educators' sense of well‐being are discussed in relation to potential actions for institutions and individuals.     

The Role of Generational Status,Self‐Esteem,Academic Self‐Efficacy,and Perceived Social Support in College Students' Psychological Well‐Being

This study examined the influences of generational status, self‐esteem, academic self‐efficacy, and perceived social support on 367 undergraduate college students' well‐being. Findings showed that 1st‐generation students reported significantly more somatic symptoms and lower levels of academic self‐efficacy than did non‐1st‐generation students. In addition, students' generational status was found to moderate predictive effects of perceived family support on stress. Implications for professional practices, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.     

Racial Inequality in Critical Thinking Skills: The Role of Academic and Diversity Experiences

While racial inequalities in college entry and completion are well documented, much less is known about racial disparities in the development of general collegiate skills, such as critical thinking. Using data from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education, we find substantial inequality in the development of critical thinking skills over four years of college between African American and White students. The results indicate that these inequities are not related to students’ academic experiences in college but are substantially related to their experiences with diversity. These findings have important implications for understanding racial inequality in higher education and considering strategies for addressing observed disparities.     

Discrimination and Sleep Mediate Ethnic/Racial Identity and Adolescent Adjustment: Uncovering Change Processes With Slope-as-Mediator Mediation

This study employs slope-as-mediator techniques to explore how the daily association between ethnic/racial discrimination and sleep disturbances serves as an intermediary link between ethnic/racial identity (ERI) and psychological adjustment. In a diverse sample of 264 adolescents (M_age = 14.3 years old, 70% female, 76% United States born, 25% African American, 32% Asian American, 43% Latinx), discrimination was associated with sleep disturbance. Furthermore, ERI commitment buffered the impact of discrimination on sleep, whereas ERI exploration exacerbated the impact of discrimination. Finally, the daily level association between discrimination and sleep (i.e., daily slope) mediated the association between ERI and adolescent adjustment. Substantive links between discrimination and sleep are discussed as well as broader applications of slope-as-mediator techniques.