Parallel Changes in Ethnic/Racial Discrimination and Identity in High School

Research has yet to understand how ethnic/racial discrimination and ethnic/racial identity change simultaneously in adolescence. In a multiethnic sample of 211 adolescents (58% female; 41% Asian American, 10% Black, 24% Latinx, 22% White, 4% other), this study used latent change modeling to examine parallel changes in adolescents' discrimination experiences (frequency and distress) and ethnic/racial identity (private regard, centrality) from 9th to 11th grade. The year immediately following the transition into high school, from 9th to 10th grade, emerged as a challenging period with higher levels of discrimination and accompanying declines in adolescents' private regard. In contrast, from 10th to 11th grade, discrimination distress declined, and adolescents' private regard remained relatively stable. Across both time periods, parallel changes were observed for discrimination (frequency, distress) and adolescents' private regard. Implications for considering the importance of school transition, as well as individual differences by adolescent characteristics and school contexts, are discussed.