School Discrimination, Discipline Inequities, and Adjustment Among Black Adolescent Girls and Boys: An Intersectionality-Informed Approach: Dismantling Systems of Racism and Oppression during Adolescence

The association between experiences of unfair treatment in school and adolescent adjustment over 5 years

This study investigates how high-school experiences of unfair treatment connect to adolescents' higher education enrollment and life satisfaction 5 years later. We utilized four waves of data at ages 14 years (T1), 16 (T2), 18 (T3) and 19 (T4) in the UK (N = 13,065; 51% Male, 49% Female, 70% White, 11% Black, 19% South-Asian). Perceived teacher unfairness at T1 predicted lower university aspirations (T2) and subsequently lower enrollment in higher education (at T3 and T4) and life satisfaction (T4). Experiences with T1 teacher ethnic discrimination also predicted lower life satisfaction. The effects were similar across historically minoritized and majority-background pupils, but historically minoritized adolescents experienced more ethnic discrimination in school. Our findings highlight the importance of fair treatment for all pupils.

Contextualizing school discipline: Examining the role of general peer and teacher discrimination at the individual- and school-level on individual suspension

Past research has linked peer and teacher discrimination to risk factors for school discipline, but few studies have examined whether peer and teacher discrimination have a direct impact on school discipline. This study examines the effects of general peer and teacher discrimination at the individual- and school-level on school suspension using nationally representative, secondary data on almost 12,000 youth across 131 schools. Hierarchical logistic regression models indicated that general teacher discrimination at the individual- and school-level-but not general peer discrimination-increased the odds of receiving school suspension. Findings suggest that general discrimination by direct learning instructors and teachers representing the broader school culture can shape student conduct. Reducing school discipline thus falls on teachers, staff, principals, and learners.

Black Americans' Diminished Return of Educational Attainment on Tobacco Use in Baltimore City

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such as educational attainment are fundamental factors affecting health. One mechanism through which education affects health is by reducing the likelihood of engaging in high-risk behaviors such as smoking. However, according to the marginalization-related diminished returns (MDRs) theory, the association between education and health may be weaker for marginalized populations such as Black than White, primarily due to racism and discrimination. However, little is known about the racial variations in the differential associations between educational attainment and tobacco use in a local setting.

AIM

This study aimed to investigate the differential association between educational attainment and tobacco use among racial groups in a community sample in Baltimore City.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used data from a community survey conducted in 2012-2013 in Baltimore City among adults aged 18 years or older. The participants were 3501 adults. Univariate, bivariate, and logistic regression analyses were performed using Stata to investigate the racial difference in the association between education and two outcomes: current smoking status and menthol tobacco product use.

RESULTS

The study found that adults with a graduate degree were less likely to be current smokers (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.08-0.13) and menthol tobacco users (AOR: 0.10, 95% CI: 0.07-0.14) compared to those with less than high school diploma. The inverse associations between educational attainment and current smoking (AOR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.05-3.21) and menthol tobacco product use (AOR: 4.73, 95% CI: 2.07-10.80) were weaker for Back individuals than those who were White.

CONCLUSION

Due to MDRs of educational attainment, while highly educated White adults show a low risk of tobacco use, educated Black adults remain at a disproportionately increased risk. The study emphasizes the need for better policies and programs that address minorities' diminished return of education for tobacco use.

Implications of built and social environments on the academic success among African American youth: testing Strong African American Families intervention effects on parental academic racial socialization

Studies exploring widening academic disparities have highlighted the role of racialized school settings, which have given way to incidents of discrimination and unfair treatment for students of color, disproportionately affecting African American youth. Research also shows that family-based preventive interventions may avert negative outcomes for this population through the promotion of protective socialization practices. Consequently, the current study tests the efficacy of a culturally tailored preventive family-based program to foster induced changes in academic promotive parenting practices that prepare youth to advance academically by navigating negative race-related experiences in school settings. Data collected over four time periods from the Strong African American Families (SAAF) efficacy trial (Murry and Brody, 2004) with 667 African American families in rural Georgia were used for this study. Structural equation modeling analyses demonstrated that the SAAF program was associated with positive intervention induced changes in parental academic race-related socialization, which in turn, was indirectly associated with reduced school compromising behaviors through the enhancement of racial pride. While discrimination compromised academic success, our findings highlight the protective nature of racial pride in dissuading academic failure and school dropout through the promotion of academic success. This study confirms that a family-based prevention program holds promise to address academic disparities through the enhancement of parenting and youth protective processes that buffer youth from succumbing to racialized social environments such as schools. Implications for research, educational policy, and preventive interventions are discussed.

Measuring institutional and structural racism in research on adolescence and developmental science

Dismantling racism and oppression in adolescence requires sound measurement and rigorous methods. In this commentary, we discuss the measurement of institutional and structural racism and approaches to operationalizing structures and systems in adolescent research. Drawing on a recent framework for the conceptualization, measurement, and analysis of institutional racism and health (Needham et al., Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, in press), we highlight several considerations for measuring institutional and structural racism. These include definitional issues, the tension between individual- and area-level measures, questions of timing, and matters of design and analysis. We conclude with suggestions to address gaps in existing literature and call for transdisciplinary training, collaboration, and partnership to promote the healthy development of Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) adolescents and young people.

Dismantling systems of racism and oppression during adolescence: An agenda for anti-racist research

In reflecting on the collection of work in the recent Journal of Research on Adolescence special series and what it means for research to dismantle systems of racism and oppression, we call for adolescent development researchers to embrace anti-racist research. We describe a set of strategies for conceptualizing, conducting, and disseminating research with adolescents using an anti-racist lens. These strategies flow from tenets of anti-racist research that include recognizing racism as systemic and being critically self-reflective on power and privilege, committed to doing no harm to adolescents, action-oriented, and community-centered. Despite obstacles to anti-racist research in academic and public ecosystems, anti-racist research is essential if we are interested in equity in adolescent' development and the well-being of all adolescents.

"When I Think of Black Girls, I Think of Opportunities": Black Girls' Identity Development and the Protective Role of Parental Socialization in Educational Settings

While educational settings may be envisioned as safe spaces that facilitate learning, foster creativity, and promote healthy development for youth, research has found that this is not always true for Black girls. Their negative experiences within educational settings are both gendered and racialized, often communicating broader societal perceptions of Black girls that ultimately shape their identity development. Utilizing semi-structured interviews with adolescent Black girls (n = 12), the current investigation explored Black girls' educational experiences, their meaning making of Black girlhood, and the role of parents in their positive development. By centering Black girls' voices, this study illuminated how Black girls negotiate their multiple marginalized identities and how their identities are shaped by their home and school environments. Findings revealed that Black girls are aware of the difficulties in navigating educational settings for Black girls, but this awareness was coupled with parental support that promoted positive gendered racial identities for Black girls in middle school and high school. This investigation advanced current knowledge of Black girls' identity development and highlighted the protective role of parental socialization. Future research directions and implications are also discussed.

Misuse of Prescription Opioids and Suicidal Behaviors Among Black Adolescents: Findings from the 2017 and 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey

PURPOSE

Although some studies have examined the association between prescription opioid misuse and mental health outcomes, few have investigated the effects of prescription opioid misuse on suicidal behaviors among Black adolescents. The objective of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional association between prescription opioid misuse and suicidal ideation, suicide plan, and suicide attempt among Black adolescents.

METHODS

Data for this study came from the 2017 and 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. An analytic sample of 4798 Black adolescents aged 14-18 years (51.2% female) was analyzed using binary logistic regression. The outcome variables investigated were suicidal ideation, suicide plan, and suicide attempt, and the main explanatory variable was prescription opioid misuse.

RESULTS

Of the 4798 Black adolescents, 15% reported ever misusing prescription opioids; 16.2% experienced suicidal ideation; 14% made a suicide plan; and 11.3% attempted suicide during the past 12 months. In the multivariate logistic regression models, Black adolescents who misused prescription opioids had 1.39 times higher odds of making a suicide plan and 1.65 times higher odds of making a suicide attempt during the past 12 months when compared to their counterparts who did not misuse prescription opioids. Other significant factors associated with suicidal behaviors include female sex, school bullying, cyberbullying, depressive symptoms, and illicit drug use. In addition, physical activity had a protective effect on suicide attempt.

CONCLUSION

The findings of the present study demonstrate the effects of prescription opioid misuse and its association with suicidal behaviors among Black adolescents.

Black Lives and Black Research Matter: How our Collective Emotions Continue to Drive a Movement

The author discusses (1) how the collective emotional experience of the Black community has propelled two parallel movements, Black Lives Matter and Black Research Matters, (2) the state of developmental science as it pertains to Black youth, and (3) suggestions for future research to integrate across fields and to evolve beyond Black pain to incorporate Black joy. The author suggests that the palpable anger collectively felt and expressed as a community has propelled a host of social-political actions to dismantle anti-Black systems of oppression, including within academia. She highlights that the scholarship on Black youth development has driven innovations in theory and methodology that have influenced the field of developmental science broadly and recommends future research areas for consideration.

Black Lives Matter! Adolescent Research Incrementally Dismantles Racism and Systems of Oppression

This Black Lives Matter! Special Issue uses diverse methods to examine how multiple systems of oppression at different levels (individual, institutional, and structural) affect Black youth. Through an intersectionality lens, scholars examine how gender, sexual orientation, skin tone, and socioeconomic status create unique experiences for Black youth. Collectively, the 17 papers address the sweeping impact of racism and other systems of oppression on Black youth by examining structural factors (e.g., policing), interpersonal experiences (e.g., teacher-student), and developmental processes (e.g., socialization). Commentaries provide a historical view and future perspective to contextualize how far we have come and how much farther we need to go in our quest to combat racism and other systems of oppression and improve the lives of Black adolescents.