About this session

Friday, 1:20 PM - 2:50 PM

Investigating Variability within Ethnic-Racial Identity Development and Intervention Impacts on Psychosocial, Academic, and Biophysical Outcomes

Ethnic-racial identity (ERI) is a developmental competency involving universal identity processes that are especially relevant during adolescence. Drawing on the extensive body of literature that has examined how ERI operates as a developmental competency and is positively related to psychological, academic, and biophysical outcomes, this symposium highlights papers that explored intragroup variability of ERI development for majoritized youth and investigated differences in the impact of interventions that promote ERI development on ethnoracially minoritized and majoritized youth. The first study utilized person-centered approaches to examine heterogeneity in White youth’s development of ERI, as this is the least studied within the ERI literature, through identification of ERI profiles and examining longitudinal implications of profile membership for psychosocial adjustment (Study 1). The remaining studies investigated the impact of two different ERI-centered curricular interventions on youths’ adjustment: a semester-long ethnic studies course (Study 2) and an out-of-school curricular intervention designed to promote ERI exploration (Study 3). These three studies drew on data from multiple geographic regions within the United States (e.g., Midwest, Southwest), utilized different analytic techniques (i.e., latent profile transition analysis, multigroup structural equation modeling, randomized control trial) and examined a range of psychosocial (e.g., intergroup attitudes, self-esteem), academic (e.g., grades, attendance), and biological outcomes (e.g., salivary cortisol). Collectively, these studies confirm ERI’s promotive effects across a range of outcomes for all adolescents, yet also highlight how ERI development and interventions’ promotive effects vary based on personal and contextual characteristics.

Paper #1
Title	Longitudinal Investigation of Profiles of White U.S. Adolescent Ethnic-Racial Identity and Relations to Psychosocial Outcomes
Presenting author	Megan Satterthwaite-Freiman, M.Ed., Harvard University, United States of America

Paper #2
Title	Psychological and Academic Adaptation Through a Universal Ethnic Studies Classes: Results of a Natural Experiment
Presenting author	Ms. Sarah Gillespie, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, United States

Paper #3
Title	Preliminary Insights from an Identity Promotion Intervention: Effects on Ethnic-Racial Identity Exploration and Stress Biology
Presenting author	Sarah Collier Villaume, Northwestern University, United States

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Session chair
Megan Satterthwaite-Freiman, M.Ed., Harvard University, United States

Discussant
Gail M. Ferguson, Ph.D., Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, United States

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