title: Examining Associations Among Aspects of Ethnic-racial Identity Development and Peer Network Integration in Adolescence
Creators: name: (:Unkn) Unknown
Publisher: name: George Mason University
Year: 2023
Subjects: subject: Ethnic-racial identity
subject: ERI development
subject: Social network integration
subject: Peer relationships
subject: Social network analysis
subject: Aspects of ERI development

description: Ethnic-racial identity (ERI) development unfolds as a series of interrelated processes in which adolescents explore what it means to be a member of their ethnic-racial group, often in the context of peer relationships. This study examines how ERI exploration, ERI resolution, and ERI affirmation are associated with social network prestige and centrality, and tests whether this relationship differs as a function of grade and ethnic-racial background. The sample consisted of 279 sixth and 435 ninth graders from four public schools in a large metropolitan area in the Southwestern United States. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between ERI exploration, resolution, and affirmation and the three measures of social integration derived from social network analysis (SNA). Results indicated that the number of mutual friendships was positively associated with ERI resolution and ERI affirmation. ERI affirmation was negatively related to proximity prestige, which is based on incoming ties and captures individuals’ degree of popularity within their social network . Additionally, ERI resolution and ERI affirmation were positively associated with Bonacich centrality, which is based on outgoing ties and captures individual’s level of centrality within their social network . Moderation analyses were used to determine whether these associations varied as a function of grade (sixth or ninth) and self-reported ethnicity (White, 'other,' and Hispanic). Four significant interaction effects were found: (1) The relationship between ERI resolution development and the number of mutual friendships was stronger for sixth grade students compared to ninth grade students; (2) The relationship between ERI exploration development and the number of mutual friendships was stronger and positive for participants who identified as Hispanic ethnicity than participants who identified as White or ‘other’ ethnicity; (3) The relationship between ERI resolution development and proximity prestige was stronger and negative for participants who identified as other ethnicity, which encompassed participants who self-identified as Black or African American, Asian, American Indian, Pacific Islander, or 'other' ethnicity, compared to participants who identified as Hispanic or White ethnicity; and (4) The relationship between ERI resolution development and Bonacich centrality was stronger and negative for participants who identified as other ethnicity than participants who identified as Hispanic or White ethnicity. These results underscore the utility of social network analysis (SNA) in developmental research to elucidate the associations between specific aspects of ERI development and adolescents' integration within their peer social networks.