Discrimination in Childhood and Adolescence: A Developmental Intergroup Approach

235 Pages·2017·1.91 MB·English

by  Christia Spears Brown

DISCRIMINATION IN
CHILDHOOD AND
ADOLESCENCE
Discrimination impacts most youth at some point. Almost all children and
adolescents belong to at least one stigmatized group, whether they are a Black
or Latino boy in school; an immigrant or refugee; a gay, lesbian, or bisexual teen;
or a girl in physics class. Discrimination on the basis of race/ethnicity, immigra-
tion status, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity can have long-term
academic, psychological, and social repercussions, especially when it is directed
at a cognitively developing child or an emotionally vulnerable adolescent. How
children and adolescents are impacted by this discrimination depends on their
cognitive ability to perceive the bias, the context in which the bias occurs, and
resources they have to help cope with the bias.
This book details, synthesizes, and analyzes the perception and impact of
discrimination in childhood and adolescence across multiple stigmatized social
groups to help us better understand the complex phenomenon of discrimination
and its long-term consequences. By looking at the similarities and differences in
discrimination across all social groups, we can more fully understand its
mechanisms of influence. Before we can fully address the persistent achievement
gap between White and ethnic minority children, the high rates of suicidal thoughts
among LGBT youth, and the underrepresentation of girls in STEM careers, we
must first examine the ways in which discrimination influences and is understood
by children, with their unique cognitive constraints and within the specific contexts
in which they live.
Christia Spears Brown is a professor of developmental and social psychology at
the University of Kentucky. Her research focuses on children’s and adolescents’
understanding of social inequalities and the ways those inequalities shape
development.

DISCRIMINATION IN
CHILDHOOD AND
ADOLESCENCE
A Developmental Intergroup
Approach
Christia Spears Brown
First published 2017
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2017 Taylor & Francis
The right of Christia Spears Brown to be identified as the author of this
work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78
of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying
and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification
and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
A catalog record for this title has been requested
ISBN: 978-1-138-93997-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-93998-1 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-20838-1 (ebk)
Typeset in Bembo and Stone Sans
by Florence Production Ltd, Stoodleigh, Devon, UK
CONTENTS
List of Illustrations and Tables vii
Introduction: How Children and Adolescents Experience
Discrimination Because of Ethnicity, Immigration Status,
Gender, and Sexual Orientation 1
PART 1
Overview and Background on Discrimination in
Childhood and Adolescence
1. Defining a Complex Phenomenon 9
2. Theoretical Framework for Understanding the Importance
of Discrimination 26
3. An (Abridged) Historical Look at Research on Childhood
Discrimination 32
PART 2
The Perception of Discrimination in Childhood
and Adolescence
4. Perceptions of Discrimination Across Social Groups: Trends,
Similarities, and Differences 51
vi Contents
5. How Children Develop an Understanding of Discrimination:
The Social Cognitive Precursors 83
6. A Developmental Intergroup Analysis of Children and
Adolescents’ Perceptions of Discrimination: Who,
What, and When 104
PART 3
The Impact of Discrimination on Children and
Adolescents
7. The Physical and Psychological Impact of Perceiving
Discrimination 127
8. The Academic Consequences of Perceiving Discrimination 145
9. Social and Behavioral Consequences of Perceiving
Discrimination 162
PART 4
The Contexts of Discrimination in Childhood
and Adolescence
10. The Role of the Family 177
11. The Peer Context 189
12. The Importance of Schools and Neighborhoods 202
Conclusion: Where to Go from Here 217
Index 221
ILLUSTRATIONS AND TABLES
Illustrations
7.1 Pascoe and Richman’s (2009) Model 133
9.1 Integrative Model of Race- and Gender-Related Influences on
Adjustment during Early Adolescence 168
Tables
1.1 Types of Discrimination that Impact Children and Adolescents 18
5.1 Cultural Cognitive Factors Facilitating Perceptions of
Discrimination 85
5.2 Social Cognitive Factors Facilitating Perceptions of Discrimination 91

INTRODUCTION
How Children and Adolescents Experience
Discrimination Because of Ethnicity,
Immigration Status, Gender, and Sexual
Orientation
Introduction
Discrimination impacts most youth at some point. Almost all children and
adolescents belong to at least one stigmatized group, whether they are a Black
or Latino boy in school; an immigrant or refugee in a new country; a girl in
physics class; or a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender teen. Discrimination on
the basis of race/ethnicity, immigration status, gender, and sexual orientation can
have long-term academic, psychological, and social repercussions, especially
when it is directed at a cognitively developing child or an emotionally vulnerable
adolescent. How children and adolescents are impacted by this discrimination
depends on their cognitive ability to perceive the bias, the context in which the
bias occurs, and the resources they have to help cope with the bias.
This book details, synthesizes, and analyzes the perception and impact of
discrimination in childhood and adolescence across multiple stigmatized social
groups. This can help us better understand the complex phenomenon of
discrimination and its long-term consequences. Although children can be
discriminated against for numerous reasons (such as weight, physical disability,
illness, or developmental delays), the focus of this book will be discrimination
on the basis of race/ethnicity, immigration status, gender, sexual orientation, and
gender identity. These represent distinct social groups for children (with clear
in-group members and out-group members), and, as such, children develop social
identities associated with these groups. By looking at the similarities and differences
in discrimination across these various social groups, we can better understand the
mechanisms by which discrimination influences children. Before we can fully
address the persistent achievement gap between White and ethnic minority
children, the high rates of suicidal thoughts among LGBTQ youth, and the