A QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION OF THE CONGRUENCE OF RACIAL SOCIALIZATION COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BLACK PARENTS AND THEIR COLLEGE-ATTENDING CHILDREN

This study examined the congruence of racial socialization (RS) delivery and reception in the child-rearing between parents and their college-attending Black youth. Qualitative interviewing of nine parent-child dyads on the frequency, clarity, and depth of RS communication yielded a more robust understanding of tensions between parental and child intentions. The study found that college-attending Black youth and their parents communicated preparation for bias RS messages for older youth and core values and racially affirming RS for younger youth. In addition, global socialization RS was a primary method for many of the participants; however, these global socialization messages were not devoid of racialized content or racialized intent. The study found high congruence between parents and youth in the area concerning parental intent about their Black youth’s private regard. With regard to public racial regard, youth reported more favorable regard for how the public felt about Blacks compared to their parents. Lastly, despite children acknowledging they received and used parental feedback to cope with racial dilemmas, they still desired more RS to help them better navigate those dilemmas. This study advances knowledge on the “who, what, why and how” questions of RS research to explain how RS might be improved to support Black youth in coping within various racialized contexts.