ERIC ED411350: Racial Socialization and Girls' Adjustment: How Mothers Promote Healthy Development.

18 Pages·1997·0.34 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
UD 031 882
ED 411 350
Gyamfi, Phyllis; O'Connor, Lisa
AUTHOR
Racial Socialization and Girls' Adjustment: How Mothers
TITLE
Promote Healthy Development.
PUB DATE 1997-00-00
20p.; Poster presented at the Biennial Meeting of the
NOTE
Society for Research in Child Development (April 6, 1997).
HD-32376
CONTRACT
Reports
PUB TYPE
Research (143)
EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
*Blacks; *Child Development; Elementary Education;
DESCRIPTORS
Elementary School Students; *Females; *Mothers; Personality
Traits; Poverty; Racial Differences; *Racial Identification;
Social Support Groups; *Socialization; Socioeconomic Status
African Americans
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This study identified the associations between maternal
racial socialization practices and child developmental outcomes by examining
the effect of poverty, maternal temperament, positive affect, and social
support on socialization. The sample included 51 8- and 9-year-old African
American girls of various socioeconomic levels from the Girls' Health and
Development Project--a longitudinal investigation of girls; social,
emotional, and physical development during middle childhood. Findings
suggested that poorer mothers engaged in socialization practices less often
than mothers with higher incomes. Mothers' temperament and social support
were also highly predictive of mothers' engagement in racial socialization.
Findings also reveal that maternal socialization is highly predictive of
girls' developmental outcomes. Engaging in racial socialization may be a way
African American mothers can promote healthy development in their children.
(Contains two tables, three figures, and nine references.)
(SLD)
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Adjustment:
Racial Socialization and Girls'
How Mothers Promote Healthy
Development
Phyllis Gyamfi
Lisa O'Connor
Center for Young Children & Families
Teachers College, Columbia University
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2
ABSTRACT
racial socialization practices
This study identified the associations between maternal
examining the effect of poverty, maternal
and child developmental outcomes by
socialization. The sample included 51
temperament, positive affect, and social support on
various socio-economic levels from the
eight- and nine-year-old African American girls of
girls' social,
a longitudinal investigation of
Girls' Health and Development Project
childhood. Findings suggested that
emotional, and physical development during middle
socialization practices less often than mothers with higher
poorer mothers engaged in
highly predictive of mothers'
incomes. Mother's temperament and social support also were
Findings also revealed that maternal socialization was
engagement in racial socialization.
engaging in racial socialization
highly predictive of girls' developmental outcomes. Thus,
mothers can promote healthy development in their children.
may be a way African American
National Institute of Child Health and
This project was supported by a grant from the
Development (NICHD; HD32376) to Jeanne Brooks-Gunn.
1
INTRODUCTION
12% of the total American
Although African Americans comprise approximately
they occupy the lowest status position of any racial group
population (Dryfoos, 1990),
American parents socialize their children
(Fordham and Ogbu, 1986). Thus, how African
in the development of their children
for the realities of this society is very important
is the reality that African American children
(Marshall, 1995). Included in this socialization
their social and economic opportunities (Garcia Coll et
must and will develop a reaction to
middle childhood is an important period
al., 1996). For young African American children,
social world, they become more aware that
because as they begin to function within a larger
which they belong. Thus, African
their place in society is dictated by the racial group to
psychologically prepared to deal with the
American children need to be both emotionally and
society. This situation has led past researchers to
overt and covert hostility of the larger
maternal socialization practices and child
suggest that considering the link between
in this growing field of research.
developmental outcomes is the next step for investigators
PURPOSE
racial socialization practices with the
The present investigation sought to link maternal
which mothers were more likely to engage
experience of poverty; identify factors that predict
maternal racial socialization with childhood
in these practices; and identify possible links of
anxiety, and temperament.
developmental outcomes in three areas: depression,
4
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
racial socialization
Does the experience of poverty influence maternal
practices?
socialization practices?
What maternal characteristics are predictive of mothers'
girls' adjustment?
Are maternal racial socialization practices associated with
1111
METHODS
nine-year-old girls and their mothers
PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-one African American eight- and
of
and Development Project, a longitudinal investigation
were drawn from the Girls' Health
during middle childhood. The sample was
social, emotional, and physical development
1 for a description of the sample).
representative of various socio-economic levels. (See Table
5
TABLE 1: DESCRIPTION OF SAMPLE
Percentages/Means
Characteristics of the Sample-
I
Child Characteristics
18.5 years old
Age at Initial Home Visit
Maternal and Familial Characteristics
27.5 years old
Age at Birth of Target Child
82% High School graduates or more
Educational Attainment at Initial
Home Visit
48% reside at or below the poverty line
Income -to-Needs Ratio -- (Poor)
69% Single, mother-headed households
Family Structure
60% employed overall;
Maternal Employment
75% employed full-time
N=51
6
MEASURES:
interviewed during the course of a home visit.
Girls and mothers completed structured questionnaires and were
household size and family income and compared to
Poverty status was calculated from maternal reports of
national levels of the poverty threshold for 1996.
MATERNAL CHARACTERISTIC MEASURES:
Temperament:
Sociability Inventory (EASI; Buss & Plomin,
Activity and Distress Level Subscales, Emotionality and
scored on a 5-point Likert scale.
1984): A 20-item self report measure of mothers temperament,
Social Support & Affect:
Foundation's Network on Successful
Family and Friend Support, and Affect Subscales McArthur
development survey designed to measure family
Mid life (MIDMAC, 1995): Two sections of a midlife
four-point Likert scale; a six-item
and friend support, both eight -item subscales are scored on a
subscale of positive affect scored on a five point Likert scale.
Maternal Socialization:
scale designed to assess parental socialization
Racial Socialization Scale (Hughes, 1995): a 19-item
three scales:
practices. Socialization practices were categorized into
about racial discrimination and
General knowledge: Providing children with information
historical background of African Americans;
relations;
Attitudes: Sharing personal feelings about race and race
American culture.
Action: Taking part in activities important to African
7
practices:
based on the frequency of their socialization
Mother reports were categorized into two groups
engaging or not engaging in these behaviors.
CHILD OUTCOME MEASURES:
Depression:
1985): A 26-item measure scored on a three-point scale,
Child Depression Inventory (CDI; Kovacs,
depression.
higher scores indicate higher levels of child
Anxiety:
(Rickets, Garcia, Lipman, Derogatis, & Fisher, 1976):
Anxiety Subscale, Hopkins Symptom Checklist
five-point Likert scale with higher score indicating higher
A 7-item subscale of anxiety scored on a
levels of anxiety.
Temperament:
Inventory (EASI; Buss & Plomin, 1984): A 20-item
Sociability Subscale, Emotionality and Sociability
with higher scores
child temperament, scored on a 5-point Likert scale,
measure of mother's report of
indicating higher level levels of sociability.
RESULTS
2 for
maternal racial socialization practices? (See Table
Question 1: Does the experience of poverty influence
mean comparisons).
level were less likely to engage in
Results indicated that overall, mothers below the poverty
level (x2=10.26, p = .04). Specifically,
socialization practices than mothers at or above the poverty
African
their children in activities deemed to be relevant to
extremely poor mothers were less likely to engage
information
less likely to provide their children with general
American culture (x2=3.87, p=.05), and were
surrounding issues of race (x2=9.98, p = .04).
SOCIALIZATION
TABLE 2: MEANS OF INCOME LEVEL AND
LEVEL OF INCOME
SOCIALIZATION
LOW
HIGH
TYPE
1.09
1.21
OVERALL*
1.27
1.59
GENERAL* KNOWLEDGE
1.27
1.62
ACTION+
p=.05; N=51
* p =.04,
7
9
Figures 1 and
influencing mothers' socialization practices? (See
Question 2: What maternal characteristics are
2 for mean comparisons)
the covariate, indicated that mothers' temperament,
Analysis of Covariance results with income as
socialization.
significantly predictive of mothers engagement in racial
positive affect, and social support were
and distress levels, were associated with racial
Mothers' temperament, as measured by her activity
likely to engage in socialization practice,
socialization practices such that more active mothers were more
More
p=.01) and action categories (F2,39 = 9 . 1 0; p=.01).
specifically, in the general knowledge (F2,39=8.80;
(F2,39=7.09; p=.01).
socialization in the action category.
distressed mothers reported less engagement in
their
positive affect were more likely to report engaging
Findings also suggested that mothers with
African American culture (F2,39=3.52; p=.07).
children in more activities deemed to be important to
measured by support from friends and family
The analyses indicated that mothers' social support as
supportive relationships with
socialization practices. Mothers who reported more
was associated with racial
30; p=.08,
racial socialization (F2,39=3.76; p=.06, F2,39 = 3 .
friends and family were more likely to engage in
respectively).
Figure 3 for
practices associated with girls' adjustment? (See
Question 3: Are maternal racial socialization
mean comparisons)
socialization was
the covariate, indicated that mothers'
Analysis of Covariance results, with income as
depression.
Socialization practices were associated with child
significantly predictive of girls' adjustment.
levels of depression
socialization had children who reported lower
Mothers who engaged more in racial
to