Little is known about the frequency of ethnic or racial discrimination and its implications for Latin American and Asian youths' development. In this study, we examined if there were ethnic and generation differences among 601 12th graders from Latin American (36%), Asian (43%), and European (19%) backgrounds in the frequency of peer, adult, and daily discrimination, and whether discrimination predicted their well-being. Adolescents from Latin American and Asian backgrounds reported more adult and peer discrimination than their peers from European backgrounds. Latin American youth reported more adult discrimination than their Asian peers. Discrimination predicted lower grade point averages and self-esteem, and more depressive symptoms, distress, and physical complaints. Ethnic identity, ethnic socialization, and race rejection sensitivity did not moderate the associations between discrimination and well-being.Ethnic minority children are both aware of and perceive discrimination in many contexts. As such, discrimination is likely to be an important factor to consider in the development of ethnic minority children and adolescents (Garciá Coll et al., 1996). The ability for children to recognize discrimination depends on cognitive factors such as having mature classification and social comparison abilities to appraise an experience as discriminatory (Brown & Bigler, 2005). In addition, situational factors such as whether or not a child has relevant information about the perpetrator and individual differences such as knowledge of discrimination or group identity may also enable children to detect discrimination. Although seniors in high school are close to adult samples in cognitive capacities and in ability to recognize, understand, and make racial attributions about discrimination, these adolescents are distinct from adults because social identity is arguably more salient among teenagers who are struggling with defining who they are. This study focuses JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, 20(4), 916-941 r

Ethnic microaggressions are a form of everyday, interpersonal discrimination that are ambiguous and difficult to recognize as discrimination. This study examined the frequency and impact of microaggressions among Latino (n = 247) and Asian American (n = 113) adolescents (M (age) = 17.18, SD = .75; 57 % girls). Latino adolescents reported more frequent microaggressions that dismiss their realities of discrimination and microaggressions characterized by treatment as a second class citizen than Asian Americans, but similar levels of microaggressions that highlight differences or foreignness. There were no ethnic differences in the extent to which adolescents were bothered by microaggressions. Moreover, even supposedly innocuous forms of discrimination are associated with elevated levels of anxiety, anger, and stress, which may increase feelings of depression and sickness. Microaggressions should be recognized as subtle discrimination that send messages about group status and devaluation, and similar to overt discrimination, can evoke powerful emotional reactions and may affect mental health.

This study analyzed the content of 125 unique reports published since 1990 that have examined the health and well-being—as well as the interpersonal and contextual experiences—of sexual minority youth of color (SMYoC). One-half of reports sampled only young men, 73% were noncomparative samples of sexual minority youth, and 68% of samples included multiple racial-ethnic groups (i.e., 32% of samples were mono-racial/ethnic). Most reports focused on health-related outcomes (i.e., sexual and mental health, substance use), while substantially fewer attended to normative developmental processes (i.e., identity development) or contextual and interpersonal relationships (i.e., family, school, community, or violence). Few reports intentionally examined how intersecting oppressions and privileges related to sexual orientation and race-ethnicity contributed to outcomes of interest. Findings suggest that research with SMYoC has been framed by a lingering deficit perspective, rather than emphasizing normative developmental processes or cultural strengths. The findings highlight areas for future research focused on minority stress, coping, and resilience of SMYoC.

Ethnic and generation differences in the frequency and types of ethnic socialization messages that 524 eleventh-grade adolescents from Mexican, Chinese, and European backgrounds received from their parents were examined. Results indicated that adolescents from both Mexican and Chinese backgrounds reported more cultural socialization and preparation for bias messages than their peers from European backgrounds. Chinese adolescents reported more promotion of mistrust messages than their peers with European backgrounds. Moreover, promotion of mistrust messages negatively predicted academic achievement, whereas positive cultural socialization messages accounted for the higher levels of motivation among adolescents from Chinese and Mexican backgrounds as compared with their equally achieving peers from European backgrounds.

The ramifications of the model minority stereotype are diverse and divisive. Since its social inception, the model minority image has been damaging because of its inaccuracy, creation of the social pressure to achieve, threat to relationships, and detrimental assumptions. Given the ubiquity of the image and the fact that Asian Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States, it is imperative to detail how the stereotype can both shape and hinder the development of Asian-American youth and families, particularly in ways that transcend current knowledge. This special issue aims to drive new insights into the Asian-American experience, encourage researchers to target unique domains of development, and promote a more nuanced understanding of the lives of diverse Asians Americans. Articles in this special issue showcase research on economic contexts of development, Asian Americans' participation in leadership and politics, and understudied issues of discrimination. They represent a collection of diverse methodologies, including the use of nationally representative and state-wide census data, qualitative and mixed methods, longitudinal data, Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and person-centered approaches, and experience sampling designs. Each provides a unique lens to understand the contexts of development for Asian-American children, young people, and families. Future work that continues to explore how individualized daily experiences of the model minority stereotype accumulate to influence social interactions and long-term adjustment will further inform the process of development facing this exceedingly diverse group.