Discrimination, Racial and Ethnic

Abstract

Racial and ethnic discrimination experiences are characterized by unfair, negative, and/or differential treatment on the basis of race or ethnicity. These experiences appear to be normative during adolescence, with both ethnic minority and non-Hispanic White youth reporting instances of such treatment by adults and peers across domains such as school and educational contexts, housing, employment, law enforcement, and service provision. Several studies suggest that racial and ethnic discrimination constitute a significant risk to healthy adolescent development; however, a growing number of studies also describe positive moderating influences on the association between racial and ethnic discrimination and adolescent developmental outcomes. In the present article, we consider definitional and conceptual issues pertaining to racial and ethnic discrimination, discuss the ‘epidemiology’ of adolescent racial and ethnic discrimination experiences, and examine the links between racial and ethnic discrimination and adolescent developmental outcomes. We briefly consider protective factors with the potential to buffer the negative impact of racial and ethnic discrimination, and conclude with a summary and discussion of recommended directions for future study.