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Racial Socialization of Biracial Adolescents

Racial Socialization of Biracial Adolescents

Kent State University
May 2006
158 pages

Ja’Nitta Marbury
Marbury & Associates, University Heights, Ohio

A dissertation submitted to the Kent State University Graduate School of Education, Health and Human Services in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

The purpose in conducting this research was to develop grounded theory regarding the racial socialization process of Biracial adolescents who were the offspring of an African American father and a European American mother. The participants in the study were eight European American mothers of Biracial adolescents ranging in age from 10 to 17 years old. This study was conducted in a qualitative format using individual and focus group interviews to gather data. The study was conducted to lay the foundation for the development of grounded theory on the Biracial socialization process. The grounded theory foundation developed from the results was the Biracial Socialization Spectrum. The Biracial Socialization Spectrum is a tetrahedron with the dynamic process as the base, side one representing the Black/African American parent spectrum, Side two representing the White/European American parent spectrum, and side three representing the Biracial Socialization Spectrum.

Table of Contents

  • ACKNOWLEDMENTS
  • LIST OF FIGURES
  • LIST OF TABLES
  • I. INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW
    • History of Biracial People in America
    • Politics of a Biracial Identity
    • Biracial Childhood and Adolescence
    • The Development and Socialization of White Adolescents
    • Racial Socialization
      • Black Racial Socialization
      • Biracial Socialization
    • Parental Racial Socialization Messages
      • White Racial Identity
  • II. METHODOLOGY
    • Purpose of the Study
    • Researcher Description
    • Research Design
    • Participants
    • Procedures
      • Individual Interviews
      • Focus Groups
    • Data Analysis
    • Limitations
  • III. RESULTS
    • Recruitment
    • Participants
      • Gayl
      • Ananda
      • Kalpana
      • Bridgette
      • Patricia
      • Sandy
      • Ella
      • Sharon
    • Demographics
    • Individual Interviews
    • RQ1: Research Question 1
      • IQ1: What does the term Biracial mean to you?
      • IQ2: What do you think being Biracial means to your child?
    • RQ2: Research Question 2
      • IQ3: What strategies, if any, of parenting a Biracial child are you using?
      • SQ3: How do you process both negative and positive cross-racial encounters with them?
      • IQ4: How does your child respond to the socialization methods you have tried?
      • IQ6: How does your family aid in the socialization of your child?
    • RQ3: Research Question 3
      • IQ5: What impact does the difference in physical characteristics between you and your child have on how you socialize your child?
    • Focus Group Interview
      • Member Checking
    • Emerging Themes
    • Data Triangulation
      • Peer Reviewers and Researcher
      • Peer Reviewers’ Perceptions
      • Researcher’s Perceptions
    • Delimitations
  • IV. DISCUSSION
    • Convergent & Divergent Socialization Process
    • Grounded Theory
      • Biracial Socialization Spectrum
    • Conclusions
      • White Racial Identity
      • Acceptance
      • Family of Origin and Immediate Family Acceptance
      • Social Political Environment
      • Implications For Counselors and Counselor Educators
    • Recommendations
    • The Intention Behind the Study
  • APPENDICES
    • APPENDIX A: WHITE RACIAL IDENTITY EGO STATUSES
    • APPENDIX B: DIVERSEGRAD-L LIST-SERV POSTING
    • APPENDIX C: INTRODUCTORY LETTER
    • APPENDIX D: DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONNAIRE
    • APPENDIX E: INFORMATION INDEX CARD
    • APPENDIX F: PEER REVIEWING CONSENT FORM (PARTICIPANT)
    • APPENDIX G: PARTICIPANT CONSENT FORM
    • APPENDIX H: AUDIO AND VIDEO TAPE CONSENT FORM
    • APPENDIX I: STRUCTURED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
    • APPENDIX J: PEER REVIEWING CONSENT FORM (PEER REVIEWER)
    • APPENDIX K: RESEARCH QUESTION 1: INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW
    • APPENDIX L: RESEARCH QUESTION 1: FOCUS GROUP
    • APPENDIX M: RESEARCH QUESTION 2: INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW
    • APPENDIX N: RESEARCH QUESTION 2: FOCUS GROUP
    • APPENDIX O: RESEARCH QUESTION 3: INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW
    • APPENDIX P: TREE NODE DIAGRAM FOR RESEARCH QUESTION 1
    • APPENDIX Q: TREE NODE DIAGRAM FOR RESEARCH QUESTION 2
    • APPENDIX R: TREE NODE DIAGRAM FOR RESEARCH QUESTION 3
  • REFERENCES

List of Figures

  1. Methodology flow chart
  2. Biracial Socialization Spectrum
  3. Parental Spectrums (Side 1 & Side 2 Tetrahedron)
  4. Dynamic process

List of Tables

  1. Participant Education Level
  2. Participant Marital Status
  3. Participant Annual Household Income
  4. Demographic Information Listed by Participant

Read the entire dissertation here.

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