Peer Accusations of 'Acting White': Longitudinal Effects on Minority Adolescents' Ethnic Identity and Depressive Symptoms (2016)

Undergraduates: John Ogunkeye, Jackie Nesi

Faculty Advisor: Mitch Prinstein
Department: Psychology & Neuroscience

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The goal of this research is two-fold. First, the study will examine correlates of AW in a low-income, ethnically heterogeneous sample. It is hypothesized that students who are accused of AW will be academically high achieving, will experience covert discrimination related to language use, will experience higher levels of social anxiety, and will be more well liked by their white peers. Second, this research will be the first to investigate the longitudinal effects of peers¿¿¿ AW accusations on minority adolescents¿¿¿ development. It is predicted that students who are accused of AW will have lower levels of ethnic identity and increases in depressive symptoms. _x000D_
Data were collected in a sample of almost 300 students in ninth grade at study outset, including 67 African-American and 55 Latino-American youth. All participants completed measures at three time points over four years in two diverse high schools within a low-income, rural community. _x000D_
Descriptive results indicated that for both African American and Latino youth, higher frequencies of AW accusations were associated with higher levels of social anxiety and discrimination related to language use. Higher frequencies of AW accusations also were associated with higher levels of peer likeability as reported by white peers. _x000D_
Longitudinal analyses indicated that higher frequencies of AW accusations were associated with lower ethnic identity and higher depressive symptoms over time, after controlling for baseline levels.