NCJ Number
186609
Journal
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 29 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2000 Pages: 679-695
Date Published
December 2000
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This study examines discrimination distress during adolescence.
Abstract
The Adolescent Discrimination Distress Index along with measures of caregiver racial bias preparation and self-esteem was administered to 177 adolescents drawn from 9th-12th graders self-identified as African-American, Hispanic, East Asian, South Asian, and non-Hispanic white. Youth from all ethnic backgrounds reported distress associated with instances of perceived racial prejudice encountered in educational contexts. Instances of institutional discrimination in stores and by police were more frequent for older youth and particularly for African-American and Hispanic teenagers. Encounters with peer discrimination were reported most frequently by Asian youth. Reports of racial bias preparation were associated with distress in response to institutional and educational discrimination, and self-esteem scores were negatively correlated with distress caused by educational and peer discrimination. The article discusses the importance of research on discrimination distress to understanding adolescent development in multiethnic ecologies. Notes, tables, references