It Is Your Decision to Date Interracially: The Influence of Family Approval on the Likelihood of Interracial/Interethnic Dating

Abstract

Although attitudes toward interracial romantic relationships (IRRs) have generally improved over the years, many Americans still disapprove of their family members being in IRRs. Prior studies have examined correlates of individual-level attitudes about interracial romance, but less is known about whether family members’ attitudes are directly associated with young people’s decisions to date interracially. Using data collected from 790 romantically involved college students at two large public four-year universities, we find that young adults who believe their siblings, parents, and grandparents approve of IRRs have greater odds of dating interracially. Compared to Whites, Blacks and Hispanics are more likely to be interracially involved but their decision to do so is much less dependent on the approval of their parents and grandparents. We also find young adults are more likely to date interracially if they have five or more relatives with IRR experience themselves. The findings and their implications are discussed.

Do Discrimination and Negative Interactions with Family Explain the Relationship between Interracial Relationship Status and Mental Disorder?

“…Specifically, adults in interracial relationships have higher psychological distress ( Barr and Simons 2014 ; Bratter and Eschbach 2006 ; Miller, Catalina et al 2022 ; Miller and Kail 2016 ), more depressive symptoms ( Kroeger and Williams 2011 ; Wong and Penner 2018 ), and poorer self-rated health ( Barr and Simons 2014 ; Miller and Kail 2016 ) compared with those in same-race relationships, though these patterns differ by the racial combination of the pair ( Bratter and Eschbach 2006 ; Kroeger and Williams 2011 ; Miller, James, and Roy 2022 ). In some instances, depending on racial combination, interracial coupling can have positive impacts on self-rated health (specifically for non-Black men partnered with Black women) ( Miller, Catalina et al 2022 ). Nevertheless, several questions remain with regard to our understanding of interracial relationships and mental health.…”

“…A person in an interracial relationship could be a member of a cross-racial adoption (and thus be a different race than family members) or one of the person’s relatives may have intermarried or dated someone of another race. Research shows that college students are more likely to interracially date if several of their own family members have dated interracially ( Miller, Catalina et al 2022 ).…”

“…In some instances, depending on racial combination, interracial coupling can have positive impacts on self-rated health (specifically for non-Black men partnered with Black women) (Miller, Catalina et al 2022). Nevertheless, several questions remain with regard to our understanding of interracial relationships and mental health.…”

College Students and “Interracial” Relationships: How Our Measures Matter

“…College campuses also often provide social environments that allow students freedom from the rules and expectations of parents and other family members. Although most college students believe their parents generally approve of interracial dating, most recent college students do not have first-hand examples of IR/IE relationship behavior within their families of origin (Miller et al 2022; Roebuck and Murty 2015). As such, college provides a relatively free environment within which to develop new relationships, and it is not uncommon for college students to form cross-group romantic partnerships.…”

“…As such, college provides a relatively free environment within which to develop new relationships, and it is not uncommon for college students to form cross-group romantic partnerships. Indeed, between 24% and 60% of college students have dated at least one member of another group (Field, Kimuna, and Straus 2013; Keels and Harris 2014; Levin et al 2007; Miller et al 2022).…”