U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Library & Multimedia
 Prevalence of Perceived Racism and Discrimination Among US Children Aged 10 and 11 Years The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study
NCJ Number
              304726
Journal

*JAMA Pediatrics* Volume: 175 Issue: 8 Dated: 2021 Pages: 859-6863
Author(s)
          J. M. Nagata;
                        et al
Date Published

2021
Length
              5 pages
Annotation
              This cross-sectional study uses data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study to assess the prevalence of perceived racism and discrimination among US children aged 10 through 11 years.
Abstract
              Research has consistently shown that racism is detrimental to the health of children, adolescents, and their families.1 These consequences range from higher infant mortality to poorer mental health and juvenile justice involvement.1 Despite the plethora of known adverse outcomes associated with racism among young people, little is known regarding the number of children who report that they experience racism and discrimination directly. Identifying the prevalence of racism and discrimination among a crucial developmental age group is imperative to curtail poor outcomes, adjust public health measures, and improve medical and mental health assessments and treatments. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the national prevalence of perceived racism and discrimination among 10- and 11-year-old children. In this study, cross-sectional data of children aged 10 and 11 years from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a large, diverse, population-based sample, at year 1 (2017-2019 release 3.0) were analyzed in 2020. Institutional review board approval was obtained from the University of California, San Diego and at each of the 21 study sites (eAppendix in the Supplement), and caregivers provided written informed consent. This study followed the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) reporting guidelines. Discrimination was measured from the Perceived Discrimination Scale,2,3 which was originally developed to measure adolescents’ perception of being treated unfairly or feeling unaccepted in society owing to their racial or ethnic background. The unadjusted prevalence of racial and ethnic discrimination was estimated by race/ethnicity. Significant differences in racial and ethnic discrimination by race/ethnicity were determined by the adjusted F, a variant of the second-order Rao-Scott adjusted χ2 statistic. A logistic regression analysis was conducted, with perceived discrimination as the dependent variable and race/ethnicity (as reported by the parent or caregiver), sex, annual household income (dichotomized as ≥$75 000 or <$75 000, the approximate median income in the United States), and parental educational level as the independent variables. Analyses were conducted using Stata version 15.1 (StataCorp) and incorporated propensity weights based on the American Community Survey.4 Statistical significance was defined as 2-sided P < .05. The sample consisted of 10 354 children aged 10 and 11 years, and included 51.1% boys (all percentages are weighted), 48.9% girls, and 45.2% children of racial/ethnic minorities (19.2% Latino/Hispanic, 16.0% Black, 5.5% Asian/Pacific Islander children). Altogether, 4.8% of the children reported discrimination based on race/ethnicity (Table 1), and the prevalence of perceived discrimination owing to race/ethnicity was highest among Black children (10.0%). Although reported discrimination was most commonly perpetrated by peers (12.0%), discrimination by adults, including teachers, was also reported (8.4% among Black children, 7.6% among Native American children, 5.2% among Latino/Hispanic children, 2.2% among Asian/Pacific Islander children, and 1.8% among White children). Black, Latino/Hispanic, and Native American children reported the highest rates of not feeling accepted in society (6.4% of Black children, 3.6% of Latino/Hispanic children, and 3.1% of Native American children vs 1.5% among White children; adjusted F = 4.7; P < .001). In logistic regression models adjusted for other demographic factors, Asian/Pacific Islander (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.76; 99% CI, 1.64-4.65); Black (AOR, 2.64; 95% CI, 1.89-3.68); Native American (AOR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.01-3.44); and Latino/Hispanic (AOR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.23-2.76) children had higher odds of perceived racism compared with White children (Table 2). Annual household income modified the association between being Black and perceived racism but not for other racial/ethnic groups. Black race was associated with 8.23 (95% CI, 5.18-13.08) higher odds of perceived racism among children with household incomes of $75 000 or higher compared with 2.43 (95% CI, 1.62-3.67) higher odds of perceived racism among children with household incomes less than $75 000 (P < .001 for interaction). Racism has been shown to be detrimental to the health of individuals and families.1 This analysis of population-based, demographically diverse, national data suggests that children in the United States are not impervious to racism and discrimination in their daily lives, with 4.8% reporting being treated unfairly because of their race, ethnicity, or color. Overall, children from non-White groups or from lower-income households were more likely to report discrimination. Among Black children, 10.0% reported racism, with a higher likelihood of these experiences among Black children in households with higher incomes. Although the perpetrators of racism were mostly peers, teachers and other adults were often reported as the source of this unfair treatment, highlighting the critical need to ensure antiracism practice and address structural racism within educational communities, which are important social determinants of health.5 Limitations of this study include the use of self-reported data. Pediatricians should consider screening for racism as a component of adverse childhood experiences.6 Mitigating the effects of racism on health should start with interventions in childhood. (Publisher Abstract)
      
  
          Additional Details
Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored
    
  
  
Date Published: January 1, 2021
    
          Downloads
        
                      HTML

Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              NIJ Journal
    
      
            
            
            
      Podcasts
    
      
            
            
            
      Publications Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Multimedia Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Software & Databases
    
      
            
            
            
      Datasets
    
      
            
            
            
      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                Social and Behavioral Science
        Racial discrimination
        Assessment (child health and welfare)
        Adolescent attitudes
        Childrens attitudes toward abuse



  
Similar Publications
        
                      Research and Evaluation on School Safety: The Structure, Services, and Products of State School Safety Centers
                  Is It an Accident or Abuse? Researchers Develop Predictive Models for Pediatric Head Injuries
                  Unauthorized Immigration, Crime, and Recidivism: Evidence from Texas
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov