Counseling Biracial Students: A Review of Issues and Interventions

Abstract

Racial identity and self‐concept development in biracial students are examined. Because of biracial students' high incidence of academic and behavioral problems, this article includes a compilation of strategies for school counselors as well as schoolwide programs designed to reduce prejudice toward and increase acceptance of these students. A case study is used to illustrate strategies. Se examinaron la identidad racial y el desarrollo del autoconcepto en estudiantes birraciales. Debido a la alta incidencia de problemas académicos y de comportamiento por parte de estudiantes birraciales, este artículo incluye una recopilación de estrategias para consejeros escolares, además de programas escolares integrales designados para reducir los prejuicios contra estos alumnos e incrementar su aceptación. Se emplea un estudio de caso para ilustrar las estrategias.

Multiracial and Biracial Individuals: A Content Analysis of Counseling Journals, 1991–2013

“…Furthermore, he encouraged counselor educators to include training opportunities, such as case studies and actual client practice, with clients of different ethnicities. To promote wellness and positive racial identity development, Moss and Davis () expounded upon the lack of multiculturally appropriate counseling interventions for biracial youth by providing suggestions for school counselors when working with clients who are experiencing challenges related to their multiracial identities. Some of their recommendations included providing education to biracial youth related to their families' racial histories, offering individual and group counseling services to normalize racial identity development, and infusing diversity awareness activities into school systems to encourage awareness at a school‐wide level (Moss & Davis, ).…”

“…Considering the impact of the environment and early experience, counselors may want to incorporate collective memory exercises into the counseling session, because this approach, used individually or in a group format, can explore early memories, provide insight regarding internalized messages, and empower clients to release negative or unwanted memories (A. M. Evans, Carney, & Wilkinson, ; Kivel & Johnson, ). According to Moss and Davis (), clinical mental health and school counseling professionals who work with children should be especially mindful of racial identity development, because preschool and early childhood are critical developmental periods for this topic.…”

“…On the basis of these experiences, she beckoned counseling professionals to validate biracial clients' experiences as they manage two distinct racial identities (Williams, ). According to the sparse professional literature, parents of biracial children who are ill‐equipped to address racial identity may avoid engaging in conversations about race with their children, encourage their child to identify with only one of their racial identities, or encourage their child to shift between these two racial identities based on the social environment (Ladher, ; Moss & Davis, ). All of these options reinforce societal racial stereotypes and biases that are often conflicting, leading to confusion and additional prejudice for biracial people.…”

School racial‐ethnic socialization of multiracial K12 students: A systematic review of the literature using MultiCrit

“…In several instances, for example, access to multiracial peers provided critical support and fostered a sense of belonging (Joseph & Briscoe‐Smith, 2021). In other cases, interactions with peers were a source of ridicule and monoracism (Hong et al., 2021; Moss & Davis, 2008).…”

“…Research consistently paints educators as unaware and uninformed about multiraciality or multiracial youth (Howard, 2018; Joseph & Briscoe‐Smith, 2021; Moss & Davis, 2008; Wardle, 2000). In her study of multiracial students and teacher work, Howard (2018) was told by a high school teacher, “that's not something we have to discuss” about multiracial students (p. 694).…”