Patterns of critical consciousness and associations with sociocultural factors in black adolescents

Abstract

Critical consciousness includes an understanding of structural oppression, agency to act and actions to redress oppression. Questions remain regarding how youth's experiences with oppression and their social identities might relate to their critical consciousness. In this study, we explored associations between critical consciousness (critical reflection, critical agency, and action) and sociocultural factors (racial identity, racial socialization, and racial stress) among Black adolescents (n = 604; M age = 15.44, SD = 1.24). We used latent profile analysis and identified four profiles of critical consciousness: Precritical Bystander (62.7%), Liberated Actor (19.9%), Precritical Actor (10.8%), and Acritical Bystander (6.6%). These profiles were distinct in critical reflection, critical agency, and critical action. Next, we examined associations between critical consciousness profiles and sociocultural factors. We found that profile membership was differentially associated with some aspects of racial identity, racial socialization, and racial stress. These findings suggest that there are specific patterns of critical consciousness among Black youth which are differentially associated with racial identity, racial socialization that emphasizes cultural pride, and experiences of cultural racism. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

Differences and similarities between ethnic–racial identity and critical consciousness links among diverse parents of color.

“…Given the key role parents play in the development of critical consciousness among youth via racial (Anyiwo et al, 2018(Anyiwo et al, , 2023 and other forms of socialization (Heberle et al, 2020), an interest in creating a more conscious generation of youth necessitates an understanding of factors influencing parents' own critical consciousness. Building on theoretical (Anyiwo et al, 2018;Mathews et al, 2020) and empirical work (Briggs et al, 2023;Kiang et al, 2021) linking ERI to critical consciousness in youth of color, we investigated the degree to which three key aspects of ERI (exploration, centrality, and public regard) influenced critical reflection, motivation, and action among Black, Latinx, and Asian American parents of color. ERI, while infrequently studied among parents, is nonetheless important to understand given both life and role transitions during adulthood (including the transition to parenthood and the need to socialize children around race; Williams et al, 2020), as well as the impacts that feelings and beliefs about one's ethnic-racial groups may have on understanding of systemic issues and actions to address them.…”

“…It is important, therefore, to study the factors that predict different aspects of critical consciousness in parents, not only to increase parents’ own work toward addressing inequalities but also because of the implications parents’ critical consciousness has for their children. Drawing from the empirical (Briggs et al, 2023; Christophe, Martin Romero, et al, 2022; Kiang et al, 2021) and theoretical (Mathews et al, 2020) literature on relations between ERI and critical consciousness in youth of color, we posit that understanding the contributions of parents’ exploration of and beliefs around their ethnic–racial group membership is a key place to start when trying to understand correlates of critical consciousness. The present study attempted to address these gaps in the literature by examining the links between ERI and critical consciousness among a diverse sample of parents of color, with particular attention to how these relations may differ based on one’s racial background and immigrant status.…”

Black adolescents' experiences with racial socialization, racial identity, and critical reflection of need for school change of racial inequity

“…Critical consciousness frameworks often conceptualize this process as having multiple components, including a critical reflection (i.e., the ability to identify and critique structural oppression), political efficacy (i.e., personal confidence that one may implement social change), and critical action (i.e., involvement in individual and collective actions that disrupt the sociopolitical status quo (see Heberle et al, 2020 for a review). In models and empirical research that consider the role of race and racism in youths' sociopolitical development, critical reflection is specific to identifying and critiquing racial inequity, racial injustice, and structural racism in their communities (Anyiwo et al, 2020;Bañales et al, 2021;Briggs et al, 2023;Mims et al, 2022;Seider et al, 2023). Drawing on these frameworks, youths' identification of racial inequities in schools and their determination that the school system should change to better address racial inequities is critical reflection, as youths' desire to change this injustice is rooted in their analysis that school systems are racially unjust (Anyiwo et al, 2020;Bañales et al, 2021;Briggs et al, 2023;Mims et al, 2022;Seider et al, 2023).…”

Editorial: Challenging injustice: Understanding upstanding, civic action, and bystander intervention to promote justice

“…Briggs et al (2023) used latent profile analysis to examine associations between critical consciousness and sociocultural factors, such as racial socialization, for Black adolescents in the United States. Four profiles of adolescent critical consciousness emerged: precritical bystander, liberated actor, precritical actor, and acritical bystander.…”

“…The themes that the emerging adults described were using counterstorytelling to take ownership of one's identity and community building through counterstorytelling as a place of resistance against racism and other structural oppression. Briggs et al (2023) used latent profile analysis to examine associations between critical consciousness and sociocultural factors, such as racial socialization, for Black adolescents in the United States. Four profiles of adolescent critical consciousness emerged: precritical bystander, liberated actor, precritical actor, and acritical bystander.…”