Ethnic Identity Development among First Nation Children: An Individual Growth Approach

Research on the development of racial ethnic identity among minority group children and adolescents has enjoyed continued research interest over the last several decades (see Schwartz, Syed, Yip, Knight, Umana Taylor, Rivas Drake Lee and the Ethnic and Racial Identity in the 21st Century Study Group, (2014) for a review) There are several reasons why researchers have shown continuing interest in racialethnic identity. Racial ethnic identity, like other social identities, can fulfill motivations such as self esteem (Tajfel Turner, 1979) certainty (Hogg, 2000) and belonging (Brewer, 1991) In addition, several studies report positive relationships between racial ethnic identity and increases in psychosocial outcomes such as academic success (e.g. Brown Chu, 2012; Smith, Atkins, Connell, 2003) and low levels of substance abuse (e.g. Schier, Botvin, Diaz, Ifill Williams, 1997) Interest in racial ethnic identity is not limited to studies on adjustment and mental health. Other studies report that racial ethnic identity buffers the effects of prejudice and discrimination (Neblett, Terzian, Harriott, 2010; Quintana, 2007) and the effects of intergroup contact on prejudice reduction (Rivas Drake, Syed, Umana Taylor, Markstrom, French, Schwartz, Lee, and the Ethnic and Racial Identity in the 21st Century Study Group, 2014) Among minority group members racialethnic identity has a significant influence on perception and evaluation of the self, in group and out group members.Research on racial ethnic identity development typically focuses on adolescence and young adulthood because it is during these developmental periods that questions about identity and the meaning of that identity frequently arise (Phinney, 1990; Rivas Drake et al. 2014) Development of racial ethnic identity, however, does not simply appear unbidden in adolescence. There are developmental processes that pres age in group identity during middle childhood and pre adolescence (Phinney, 1989) The present study examines racial ethnic identity development among a little studied group Native Canadian children in middle childhood1. Canadian Aboriginal children between the ages of 6 11 completed each year for five years, a measure assessing racial ethnic identity and measures often associated with racial ethnic identity, level of cognitive development, attitudes toward in group members, and racial ethnic centrality (Aboud Doyle, 1995; Ruble, Alvarez, Bachman, Cameron, Fuligni, Coll, Rhee, 2004; Sellers, Smith, Shelton, Rowley, Chavous, 1998).Racial ethnic development among minority group adolescents typically focus on age trends and normative developmental processes (Rivas Drake, et al. 2014) with less frequent attention given to subclass differences in identity development (Huang Stormshak, 2011; Smith, Levine, Smith, Dumas, Prinz, 2009) The presence of sub class growth trajectories suggests that there are a number of paths leading to in group identity development, paths that may be associated with different psychosocial outcomes (Pahl Way, 2007; Yip, Seaton Sellers, 2006) In this study, latent class growth models are used to assess growth trajectories of racial ethnic identity sub classes present in children's answers to racial ethnic identity questions, and to assess the degree to which these trajectories predict responses on measures associated with racial ethnic identity. The existence of racial ethnic identity sub classes among minority group children extends to younger age groups findings of similar sub classes among minority group adolescents and young adults (Pahl Way, 2007; Yip, et al. 2006) and suggests that paths toward in group affiliation and identification begins at a relatively young age. The introduction opens with an overview of results of studies on racial ethnic sub classes among minority youth and pre adolescents, followed by a brief discussion of the social and economic environment within which many Aboriginal peoples live and work.