Asian Youth Research Articles

Insights for educators working with ethnically diverse youth in Hong Kong: a pilot positive youth development program

PurposePositive youth development (PYD) among ethnic minorities is important to building a socially inclusive and rapidly aging Hong Kong. There are very limited empirically driven with evaluation among ethnic minorities in Hong Kong and in the region. This study aims to fill the research-to-practice gap by examining the implementation process and impacts of a school-based PYD school program for ethnic minorities in Hong Kong developed empirically based on the data of the larger sequential mixed-methods research project.Design/methodology/approachAlong with a non-governmental organization the authors co-developed, implemented and evaluated an eight-week pilot PYD program for youth from South Asia and newly arrival mainland Chinese backgrounds. Although a quasi-experimental mixed-methods research design was adopted and included 18 young people in the intervention group and 12 young people in the control group, this paper reported the qualitative interviews of three students, two of their teachers and two PYD interventionalists who commented about the content and process to further improve future PYD programs for ethnic minorities young people in Hong Kong.FindingsStudents stated their positive experience about the program while other participants (interventionalists and teachers) provided insights for further program effectiveness enhancement. This includes organizing social activities in the program, such as basketball or football matches would enhance the level of engagement of the participants. Teachers and interventionists suggested to develop age-appropriate programs as younger groups may have different needs or interests compared to their older counterparts.Originality/valueThis study provides insight into how to improve the implementation process, effectiveness and quality of evidence based PYD education research and practices from a culturally appropriate perspective, particularly for South Asian youth residing in Hong Kong and beyond.

Supplemental Material for Personal and Family Perfectionism Among Asian and Latinx Youth

Supplemental Material for Personal and Family Perfectionism Among Asian and Latinx Youth

Negative affectivity and emotions in youths with temporomandibular disorders across cultures

ABSTRACT Objective The relationships between temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and negative affectivity/emotions across cultures and the emotional predictors for TMDs in Southeast Asian youths were investigated. Methods The presence of TMDs and negative affectivity/emotions were determined with the Fonseca Anamnestic Index (FAI) and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21). Statistical evaluations were done with non-parametric and logistic regression analyses (α Results The total sample comprised 400 Singaporean and 501 Indonesian youths (mean age 19.30 ± 1.48 years; 65.0% women) of whom 47.0% and 59.3% had mild-to-severe TMDs, respectively. For both cultures, participants with TMDs had significantly greater negative affectivity, depression, anxiety, and stress than those with no TMDs. Indonesian youths also presented higher levels of emotional distress than their Singaporean counterparts. Correlations between FAI and anxiety/stress scores were moderately strong. Conclusion Cultural variations can influence the expression of TMDs and emotional distress. Being female and anxious increased the risk of TMDs.

Culturally adapting youth mental health first aid training for Asian Americans.

Despite high rates of mental health challenges, Asian Americans are less likely to seek out and receive school-based mental health services (SBMHSs) than their non-Asian peers. The Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training is an 8-hr manualized public education program designed to educate adults on recognizing common mental health challenges among adolescents and intervening. However, no published research has evaluated YMHFA among Asian Americans. We culturally adapted YMHFA for Asian Americans (Asian American parents and youth workers) and used a pretest/posttest design to evaluate its effectiveness. Specifically, we (a) added one 2-hr session before the YMHFA to augment engagement with the curriculum and (b) contextualized the YMHFA curriculum content to ensure cultural sensitivity for Asian American participants. Thirty-one Asian immigrant parents (Mage = 45.55, SD = 3.6) and 24 Asian American youth workers (Mage = 23.17, SD = 3.67) participated in YMHFA. Participants' mental health literacy (MHL) and their confidence in using MHFA skills significantly increased after the training. Participants also participated in four focus groups after the training to share their experiences. Participants stated that they benefited from this training and suggested additional cultural adaptations to make the program more appropriate for Asian Americans. Culturally adapted YMHFA may be an effective way to promote MHL and engage Asian Americans in mental health services. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Association of temporomandibular disorders severity with otologic and concomitant pain symptoms in Asian youths

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the presence/severity of TMDs among Asian youths and examine the associations between TMD severity, otologic, and concomitant pain symptoms. Methods Youths (17–24 years old) were recruited from a local polytechnic. The presence/severity of TMDs was determined with the Fonseca Anamnestic Index (FAI), while otologic/concomitant pain symptoms were appraised with the Maciel’s Symptoms Checklist (MSC). Demographic, FAI, and MSC data were evaluated using Kruskal Wallis, chi-square, and relevant post-hoc tests (α = 0.05). Results Among the participants (n = 200) enrolled, 40.5% had no TMD, whereas mild, moderate, and severe TMD were present in 43.5%, 12.5%, and 3.5%, respectively. Participants with moderate/severe TMDs had significantly more otalgia, tinnitus, vertigo, dizziness, ear pruritus, hearing loss, ear fullness, headache, eye, neck, and back pain than those with no TMDs (p < 0.001). Conclusion Otologic and concomitant pain symptoms were associated with TMDs and appear to increase with progressive TMD severity.

Validity of a three-item dating abuse victimization screening tool in a 11–21 year old sample

BackgroundDating abuse (DA) is prevalent and consequential, but no brief DA screening tools are available for use in pediatric or other settings. This study was designed to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of the MARSHA-C, which is a three-item DA victimization screening tool.MethodsThe participants were 224 U.S. youth ages 11–21 years old (20% male, 77% female, 3% non-binary gender). Youth completed an online questionnaire about adolescent relationship abuse. The survey included the Measure of Adolescent Relationship Harassment and Abuse (MARSHA), which is a comprehensive DA measurement instrument normed on a nationally representative sample. Of 34 DA victimization items from the MARSHA, the three most prevalent items were hypothesized to have good predictive validity of the full scale score as a brief, screening version (MARSHA-C). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the MARSHA-C to identify victims of DA was calculated.ResultsUsing the MARSHA as the reference standard, the cutpoint of 1 on the MARSHA-C screening tool was identified as optimal. The MARSHA-C had a sensitivity of 84%, a specificity of 91%, and positive predictive value of 91%. Thus, for youth who endorse ≥ 1 MARSHA-C items, there is a 91% probability that they have experienced DA in the past year. Exploratory analyses by demographic subgroups suggest that the predictive validity of the MARSHA-C is approximately equivalent for females and males, younger and older adolescents, Asian, Black, Latinx, Multiracial and White youth, and heterosexual and lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth.ConclusionsThe MARSHA-C can be used to detect DA among 11–21-year-old youth via online surveys for research purposes, or in clinical care settings to facilitate proactive patient counseling or parent-oriented anticipatory guidance.

1347-P: High Prevalence of NAFLD and Lower Lean Mass in South Asian Youth

Background: South Asians (SA) have high rates of NAFLD. SA adults have NAFLD at lower BMI. We examined differences in ectopic fat between SA and White (W) youth, and its relationship to BMI z-score (BMIZ) , fat depots, and metabolic labs. Methods: SA and W youth, 12-21y, BMI ≥ 80%ile (or ≥23kg/m2 if ≥18y) underwent MRS to measure liver fat and intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) (soleus) , and DXA to quantify total % body fat (%BF) and lean mass (LM) . Abdominal MRI was used to measure abdominal fat (AF) , visceral fat (VF) , SQ fat, deep SQ, and superficial SQ. HbA1c, fasting glucose (FBG) , and lipids were obtained. Univariate analyses used parametric or non-parametric methods as appropriate. Linear regression adjusted for potential confounding variables. NAFLD defined as &amp;gt;5% liver fat. Results: Participants (28 SA, 9 W) had similar age, sex, and BMIZ. Liver fat was higher in SA [2.0% (1.1, 7.4) ] compared to W [0.8% (0.7, 1.4) ], but not statistically different. NAFLD was present in 29% of SA youth, but in no W youth. There was no difference in IMCL (p=0.9) or VF between groups (p=0.5) . Adjusting for age, sex, puberty and BMIZ, SA had lower LM [β= -8.1, p=0.003] and higher %BF [β=5.8, p=0.01], AF [β=151.6, p=0.006], total SQ fat [β=65.9, p=0.001], deep SQ fat [β=1.9, p=0.005] and HbA1c [β=3.8, p=0.01] than W. FBG and lipids were similar between groups. In SA, liver fat correlated with HDL-C (p=0.02) , LDL-C (p=0.03) , non-HDL-C (p=0.03) and borderline with FBG (p=0.05) , HbA1c (p=0.06) , but not with BMIZ, LM, %BF, or triglycerides. In SA, VF was correlated with triglycerides (p=0.002) and non-HDL-C (p=0.04) and borderline with LM (p=0.05) and HDL-C (p=0.06) . Conclusions: These preliminary results of an ongoing study demonstrate that 29% of SA youth had NAFLD compared to no W youth. Liver fat in SA youth was not related to typical metabolic risk factors. Notably SA youth had lower LM, and increased AF, deep SQ fat, and HbA1c compared to W youth, after adjustment. Further study is needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying excess liver fat in SA youth. Disclosure T.A.Hitt: None. S.C.N.Hui: None. I.R.Kamel: None. P.B.Barker: None. B.S.Zemel: None. A.Kelly: Research Support; vTv Therapeutics. S.N.Magge: None. Funding National Institutes of Health (R01DK115648)

Dental fear and anxiety in Asian youths: response components and inducing stimuli.

This study estimated the prevalence of dental fear/anxiety (DFA) and phobia in Asian youths and investigated the fear/anxiety response components and triggers for those with DFA. A convenience sample of youths, aged 17 to 24years old, was recruited from a local polytechnic. The Index of Dental Anxiety and Fear-4C + (IDAF-4C +) was employed to assess the occurrence of DFA (IDAF-4C) and phobia (IDAF-P) as well as to ascertain fear/anxiety-inducing stimuli (IDAF-S). Psychological distress was determined with the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). Sociodemographic, IDAF-4C + , dental attendance patterns, and PHQ-4 data were gathered electronically. Statistical analyses were conducted with chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis, and relevant post hoc tests (α = 0.05). A total of 215 participants were enrolled (mean age of 18.9 ± 2.0years; 87.4% women). Of these, 12.6/6.0% had moderate-to-high (MH)/high-to-extreme (HE) DFA and 0.9% experienced dental phobia. Significant differences in scores were observed between the HE/MH and no-to-moderate (NM) groups for all IDAF-4C components. Apart from the cost of dental treatment, IDAF-4S scores varied significantly among the three DFA groups. The two most highly rated DFA stimuli were painful/uncomfortable procedures and needles/injections for the HE group, while they were needles/injections and the cost of dental treatment for the MH and NM groups. Moderate-to-extreme DFA existed in 18.6% of the Asian youths examined. The emotional and physiological components of the IDAF-4C appear to contribute more to the DFA response. Dental pain including needles/injections and the cost of dental treatment troubled Asian youths the most. DFA is a common problem among Asian youths, and understanding its extent, nature, and triggers is central for effective interventions.

‘No South Asian Riders, Please’: The Politics of Visibilisation in Platformed Food Delivery Work during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Hong Kong

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the need for online food delivery services (such as Deliveroo and Foodpanda), creating new job opportunities for South Asian youths. However, outbreaks of infected cases in districts populated by South Asians have spurred ‘racist’ remarks by customers, perhaps triggered by a flurry of negative mainstream news reports and social media outbursts targeted at South Asians. These behaviours reveal the added precariousness of ethnic minority employment. This paper examines the inter-sectional politics of race and class involved in platformed work, in the case of food delivery services. It discusses how the algorithmically controlled platformed economy may have an impact on racial minority workers. Employing the conceptual framing of ‘invisibility’, and notions around ‘platformed/ gig labour’, it argues that neo-liberalised infrastructural capitalism aggravates algorithmic surveillance of racial minority workers. It suggests the possible resilience of racial minority workers in the globally popular business model.

Addressing Gendered Trauma, Identity, and the Crime-to-Deportation Pipeline Among Southeast Asian Men

Deportation continues to be a pressing concern for the Southeast Asian community. Since 1998, more than 17,000 Southeast Asians have received orders of removal, and over 1,900 have been deported. Notably, the majority of these deportation orders result from old convictions of "aggravated felony" crimes, and the majority of those facing deportation are men. This suggests not only an entrenched crime-to-deportation pipeline, but that Southeast Asian men may face specific issues that predispose them to crime, and for those without U.S. citizenship, deportation. An analysis of Southeast Asian refugee experiences and their intersection with the U.S.' deportation and carceral systems reveals that Southeast Asian men navigate a complicated system of generational and refugee-related trauma, institutional racism, gender disparitites, and socioeconomic inequality. Though these men do retain agency in their actions and choices, these factors often position them towards crime, and ultimately deportation. In recognition of these findings, this Note discusses the potential for community-based education on crime and deportation as a beneficial solution for Southeast Asian men and youth.

Addressing Gendered Trauma, Identity, and the Crime-to-Deportation Pipeline Among Southeast Asian Men

Deportation continues to be a pressing concern for the Southeast Asian community. Since 1998, more than 17,000 Southeast Asians have received orders of removal, and over 1,900 have been deported. Notably, the majority of these deportation orders result from old convictions of "aggravated felony" crimes, and the majority of those facing deportation are men. This suggests not only an entrenched crime-to-deportation pipeline, but that Southeast Asian men may face specific issues that predispose them to crime, and for those without U.S. citizenship, deportation. An analysis of Southeast Asian refugee experiences and their intersection with the U.S.' deportation and carceral systems reveals that Southeast Asian men navigate a complicated system of generational and refugee-related trauma, institutional racism, gender disparitites, and socioeconomic inequality. Though these men do retain agency in their actions and choices, these factors often position them towards crime, and ultimately deportation. In recognition of these findings, this Note discusses the potential for community-based education on crime and deportation as a beneficial solution for Southeast Asian men and youth.

“Tell Me Sister” – Social Media, a Tool for Women Activists in Tajikistan

Abstract Instagram is the world’s most popular social media tool among people under 29, including Central Asian youth. Despite the growing authoritarian grip on print and online media, more and more Tajik women are opening up on Instagram to counter the pernicious narrative that blames victims of sexual harassment and violence for speaking out against their harassers and abusers. So far, there is little research exploring the extent to which women Instagram bloggers are successful in influencing the wider female public’s perception of sexual harassment and violence. I seek to fill this gap by analyzing whether Tajik women’s exposure to information on social networks influences their awareness of sexual harassment and violence. The following article contributes to the growing body of literature discussing the transformative forces of digital activism in Central Asia by exploring empirical data gathered through a nationwide survey in Tajikistan. The results reveal the emancipatory potential of digital activism.

Asian Drinking Cultures in New Zealand: A Scoping Review

Alcohol use causes harm across most populations. However, comparatively little research and policy attention has been paid to drinking cultures among Asian people. A scoping review was undertaken to identify drinking patterns, alcohol-related harm, drinking culture among Asian youth, young adults, and adults living in New Zealand. A search of literature identified 39 relevant outputs. The findings indicated that Asian people enjoy a comparative health advantage when compared with non-Asian population groups through lower rates of alcohol consumption, less risky drinking, and experiencing less harm from drinking. Despite these advantages, the results identified areas where improvements with Asian people’s relationships and experiences with alcohol may be warranted. It is important to develop targeted approaches to Asian drinking that can build on the current whole population-level alcohol initiatives. Further research is warranted to identify specific and additional strategies to address problematic alcohol use in this cohort.

Promoting Healthy Lifestyles and Well-Being in Autistic Youth.

According to data from the National Health and Examination Survey, ∼40% of adults and 19% of youth in the United States were obese in 2015 and 2016, with a disproportionate burden seen in non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic youth when compared with non-Hispanic White and non-Hispanic Asian youth.1 The etiology of the obesity epidemic is complex and multifaceted, spanning physiologic, behavioral, genetic, social–emotional, political, and economic factors. As the epidemiology of morbidity and mortality has shifted from infectious to chronic and, most often, preventable diseases, the importance of healthy lifestyle behaviors for all families, including autistic individuals, could not be more pressing.Autistic children and adolescents are at disproportionate risk for unhealthy weight status and represent just one of many communities with unique considerations when it comes to tailoring interventions designed to improve nutrition and physical activity.2,3 Restrictive eating behaviors, sensory issues, specialized diets, social and behavioral impairments, motor impairments, and family factors are key considerations in addressing barriers to optimal nutrition and physical activity in autistic children.4–6 For American Black and Hispanic/Latinx families with autistic children, a history of structural racism and the generation of limiting social structures further complicate efforts at healthier living via the disproportionate burden of food insecurity, food deserts, and safe built environments they share. Multifaceted interventions offering touchpoints in multiple social arenas (ie school, church, home, community center) that are tailored to the needs and strengths of diverse communities will be required for meaningful and effective change for families with autistic individuals.7Lifestyle medicine focuses on 6 key tenets of health: (1) whole food, plant-based diet, (2) regular physical activity, (3) restorative sleep, (4) stress management, (5) social connectedness, and (6) avoiding risky substance use. When optimized, these 6 tenets can prevent and even help reverse chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Our goal is to pursue interventions that, first and foremost, use the local autistic community’s input to guide the development and implementation of interventions aimed at improving the lifestyle of autistic individuals and their families. By prioritizing creative educational delivery methods such as a virtual teaching kitchen that promotes social engagement, sensory exposure to a variety of foods, and meal preparation skills that promote self-care and independent living skills, we aim to promote whole-person growth and wellness.The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has undoubtedly altered every family’s life in deep and meaningful ways. It has also spurred and required innovative solutions, including the explosive growth of virtual meeting platforms, whose use will require continued input from autistic youth and their families for the development of best practices. Virtual platforms provide expansive virtual reach to autistic youth and families in a variety of historically underserved settings such as rural and urban underserved areas. By funding small-scale pilots, enabling researchers to engage with a network of collaborating research entities, and providing a centralized data infrastructure, the lifestyle node of the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health is poised to scale and more robustly evaluate novel interventions.

57. Recommendations for Parents and Communities to Support South Asian Sexual Minority Youth in Canada

Intersectionality theory suggests that lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) youth of colour – including South Asian youth – may experience double minority stress, due to facing the multiple stressors of sexual minority stigma and racism. There is relatively little research focusing on what is needed to improve support for South Asian LGBTQ youth according to their lived experiences. The purpose of this study was to identify the actions that South Asian gay and bisexual young men recommended for parents and communities to improve support for South Asian sexual minority youth living in Canada.

Effects of Psychological Distress and Coping Resources on Internet Gaming Disorder: Comparison between Chinese and Japanese University Students.

The high prevalence of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) among Asian youth indicates an urgent need to identify protective factors and examine their consistency across Asian cultures in order to facilitate cost-effective interventions. Based on the transactional theory of stress and coping, this study collected data of 1243 online gamers (45% males; 18–25 years) through an anonymous survey from universities in China and Japan and investigated whether three coping resources (i.e., mindfulness, coping flexibility, and social support) serve to protect Chinese and Japanese youth from the impact of psychological distress on IGD tendency. After adjusting for the measurement non-invariance across samples, we found that Japanese students reported higher levels of IGD tendency and psychological distress than Chinese students. The results of multiple-group SEM analyses showed that, after controlling for other predictors, mindfulness served as the strongest protective factor against IGD across samples. Moreover, the buffering effect of mindfulness on the association between psychological distress and IGD tendency of female (but not male) students was observed. Our findings highlighted the cross-cultural invariance of the impact of psychological distress and coping resources on IGD in Chinese and Japanese youth, which can be considered in future IGD prevention programs.

Linking ethnic/racial discrimination to adolescent mental health: Sleep disturbances as an explanatory pathway.

Ethnic/racial discrimination is associated with negative psychosocial outcomes, and this study considered sleep disturbance as a mediating pathway. Employing a combination of daily diary and biannual surveys, multilevel structural equation models estimated the indirect effects of sleep/wake concerns on negative, anxious, and positive mood, rumination, and somatic symptoms. In a sample of 350 urban Asian (74% Chinese, 8% Korean, 4% Indian, 1% Filipinx, 1% Vietnamese, and 12% other), Black, and Latinx (25% Dominican, 24% South American, 22% Mexican, 15% Puerto Rican, 5% Central American, and 9% other) youth (M = 14.27 years, 69% female, 77% U.S. born, 76% monoethnic/racial, data collected from 2015 to 2018), there was evidence for sleep disturbances mediating the impact of ethnic/racial discrimination on adjustment. Nighttime disturbance, daytime dysfunction, and daytime sleepiness evidenced partial or full mediation for daily‐ and person‐level outcomes (υ = 0.1%–17.9%). Reciprocal associations between sleep disturbances and negative mood and rumination were also observed.

Body fat differences among US youth aged 8-19 by race and Hispanic origin, 2011-2018.

The association between body mass index (BMI) and adiposity differs by race/ethnicity. To examine differences in adiposity by race/Hispanic origin among US youth and explore how those differences relate to differences in BMI using the most recent national data, including non-Hispanic Asian youth. Weight, height and DXA-derived fat mass index (FMI) and percentage body fat (%BF) from 6923 youth 8-19 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2018 were examined. Age-adjusted mean BMI, FMI and %BF were reported. Sex-specific linear regression models predicting %BF and FMI were adjusted for age, BMI category and BMI category*race/Hispanic origin interaction. %BF was highest among Hispanic males (28.2%) and females (35.7%). %BF was lower among non-Hispanic Black (23.9%) compared with non-Hispanic White (26.0%) and non-Hispanic Asian (26.6%) males. There was no difference between non-Hispanic Black females (32.7%) and non-Hispanic White (33.2%) or non-Hispanic Asian (32.7%) females. FMI was higher among Hispanic youth compared with non-Hispanic White youth. Among youth with underweight/healthy weight, predicted %BF and FMI were lower among non-Hispanic Black males (-2.8%; -0.5) and females (-2.0%; -0.3), compared with non-Hispanic White youth, and higher among Hispanic males (0.9%; 0.2) and females (2.0%; 0.5), while %BF but not FMI was higher among non-Hispanic Asian males (1.3%) and females (1.4%). Among females with obesity, non-Hispanic Asian females had lower %BF (-2.3%) and FMI (-1.7) than non-Hispanic White females. Differences in %BF and FMI by race/Hispanic origin were not consistent by BMI category among US youth in 2011-2018.

Crisis Response and Suicidal Patterns in U.S. Youth Before and During COVID-19: A Latent Class Analysis

PurposeThis study characterized the unobserved patterns in crisis response among youth in the U.S. from March to December 2020 and determined the characteristics of vulnerable subgroups who were at increased risk for suicide due to the pandemic. MethodsA latent class analysis of crisis support-seeking from a national text-based crisis platform, (n = 179,497, aged 24 years or younger) for 11 crisis concerns (e.g., depression, anxiety/stress, suicidal thoughts, isolation, abuse, bereavement, relationships) was performed on three study periods: (1) January 2017 to December 2020, (2) prepandemic: 1 January 2017 to 12 March 2020, and (3) pandemic: 13 March to 20 December 2020. Demographic characteristics (age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity) were used as predictors for class membership using the three-step method. ResultsFour latent classes were identified: (1) depression/isolation/self-harm (D/I/S) (18,694 texters, 10.4%), (2) interpersonal stress/mood-anxiety (I/M) (32,640 texters, 18.2%), (3) suicidal thoughts/depressed (S/D) (34,067, 19.0%), and (4) adjustment/stress (A/S) (94,096 texters, 52.4%). During the pandemic, an increase in suicidal thoughts and active rescues occurred in the D/I/S and S/D higher-risk subclasses. Characteristics of vulnerable groups in higher-risk classes since the pandemic included children, LGBTQ, American Indian, White, Black, Asian, female, and gender-nonconforming youth. ConclusionsResults identified a strong association with class membership in more severe risk classes during the pandemic and an increase in suicidal help-seeking, particularly among children and LGBTQ youth. Low-cost and targeted crisis text-based platforms for support-seeking in youth may be one potential safety net strategy to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in youth.

Same-race friendship preference across the middle school years: The role of school racial/ethnic context.

The current study examined the developmental trajectory of same-race friendship preference of racially/ethnically diverse students over the course of middle school. Participants were African American, Asian, Latinx, and White youth recruited at the start of middle school in 6th grade (N = 4,361; Mage = 11.33 years) and followed across the 3 years of middle school. School racial/ethnic diversity and the racial/ethnic representation of students in their academic classes, including honors classes, were examined as predictors of friendship preferences over time. Results from latent growth curve models revealed that same-race friendship preference increased over the course of middle school and was shaped by both the school and classroom racial/ethnic context, above and beyond availability. Greater school racial/ethnic diversity predicted steeper increases in same-race friendship preference over time for all racial/ethnic groups. However, there were interactions involving race/ethnicity when the analyses focused on how students were represented in their academic classes compared with school. African American and Asian youth who were underrepresented in honors classes showed steeper increases in same-race friendship preference over time. Implications for prejudice reduction and creating more inclusive school environments are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).