Inherently Political? Associations of Parent Ethnic–Racial Socialization and Sociopolitical Discussions with Latinx Youths’ Emergent Civic Engagement

Abstract

The current study expands on ethnic–racial socialization (ERS) among Latinx families to include sociopolitical discussions as a way to better understand how these practices relate to adolescents’ developmental outcomes, including their ethnic–racial identity (ERI) and their sociopolitical development. More specifically, we examined whether there were direct links between parental ERS practices and sociopolitical discussions at home and adolescents’ emergent participatory citizenship via their ERI processes (i.e., exploration and resolution). These questions were examined using path analyses with 267 self‐identified Latinx early adolescents (Mage = 11.88, SD = 1.22; girls = 54.3%). Results revealed direct associations between sociopolitical discussions and cultural socialization at home with civic accountability. Thus, youth whose parents had engaged in more discussions with them about current political issues and who taught them about their ethnic heritage and history endorsed a greater sense of collective responsibility for helping community members in need. Additionally, preparation for bias and sociopolitical discussions at home were each uniquely associated with more ERI exploration, and each was also indirectly associated with expectations for future community involvement via youths’ ERI exploration. Our findings come at a critical juncture in time, providing insight into ways we can support the positive ERI development and build the civic capacity of Latinx adolescents.

Ethnic-Racial Identity and Adolescents’ Positive Development in the Context of Ethnic-Racial Marginalization: Unpacking Risk and Resilience

“…For example, Chan and Latzman (2015) found that Latinx and Asian immigrant heritage youth who reported a strong, positive sense of connection to their ethnic group also tended to support equality and social justice (e.g., "getting mad when people are treated unjustly"). More recently, Pinetta et al (2020) found that ethnic-racial exploration, but not resolution, was positively associated with Latinx early adolescents' expectations that they would be involved in their communities. Among Indigenous and other college students of color, more ERI exploration was also positively associated with students' engagement in political actions and a stronger sense of themselves as allies to other communities of color (Fish et al, 2021).…”

Raising justice‐minded youth: Parental ethnic‐racial and political socialization and Black youth's critical consciousness

“…Black families in the United States (U.S.) navigate political and ethnic‐racial experiences in a societal context in which notions of citizenship and democracy are inextricably tied to a legacy of slavery and contemporary anti‐Blackness (Spencer, 2011). There is limited research in psychology that examines whether socialization about race is political or socialization around politics is racial among families of color (Pinetta et al., 2020; Robinson, 2020) and how these messages relate to Black youth's sociopolitical beliefs. Specifically, discussions about race, racism, and politics set the foundation for youth's role as engaged community members, including the ability to recognize societal oppression, sense of agency to challenge inequity, and involvement in actions that disrupt oppression (Anyiwo et al., 2018; Robinson, 2020).…”

“…While conceptualizations of parental ethnic‐racial socialization typically focus on messages about race and racism (Hughes et al., 2006), political socialization is most commonly associated with learning how to participate in political and civic life (Jennings et al., 2009). Among families of color, including Black families, these processes may be intertwined (Pinetta et al., 2020; Robinson, 2020). For instance, many political issues revolve around race and racism, such as gerrymandering (Waymer & Heath, 2016), redlining (Phillips, 2010), school choice (Stewart, 2020), and police brutality (Chaney & Robertson, 2013).…”

“…Both parental ethnic‐racial and political socialization, and possibly the extent to which they overlap, are determined by parents’ own experiences with race, racism, and politics, as well as their race‐related values and beliefs (Cooper et al., 2015; Warren & Wicks, 2011; Williams & Banerjee, in 2021). Similarly, youth's experiences with race and politics will inform how they interpret parental messages about race and politics (Anyiwo et al., 2018; Pinetta et al., 2020).…”

Documentation Status Socialization as an Ethnic-racial Socialization Dimension: Incorporating the Experience of Mixed-status Latinx Families

“…Cognizant of this, Ayón (2018) developed a new ERS measure drawing from in-depth interviews with Latinx immigrants (Ayón, 2016) and validated through a survey with 300 Latinx parents (Ayón, 2018), which indicated that conversations regarding nativity and documentation status were part of their ERS repertoire. Continued examinations of documentation status socialization have potential implications for the socio-emotional and socio-political development of their children, as they come to comprehend the racialized nature of undocumented immigration, the targeted enforcement of Latinxs, and the inherent social inequalities associated with being part of a Latinx immigrant family (Anyiwo et al, 2018;Pinetta et al, 2020;Suárez-Orozco & Yoshikawa, 2013). As these children mature, they become increasingly aware -through stories in the media and conversations at home -of the continuous threat of deportation that many members of their ethnic group face here in the United States.…”