Abstract: Studies of racial identity have focused primarily on college age or adult populations (Baldwin and bell, 1985; Sellers, Shelton, Rowley, and Chavous, 1998). However, in the last decade cultural awareness had been recognized as a protective factor in the prevention of ATOD use among African–American youth. This has been evidenced in several CSAP high-risk youth ATOD prevention programs that utilized ethnic/cultural awareness as a major program intervention (e.g., Project Martin, Atlanta; Ujima, Atlanta; Project Naja, Washington). These programs examined measures of self–concept rather than racial identity, based upon the belief that cultural awareness would positively impact self–esteem and ATOD use. This presentation will focus on an examination of the relationship between racial identity and several variables from a survey of pregnant and parenting adolescent African–American females in Atlanta. In this project the importance of racial identity is measured by the centrality subscale from the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity (Sellers, Shelton, Rowley, and Chavous, 1998). Its relationship to quality of life and attitudes will be examined. Some of the variables to be examined will be stability of living arrangements; the receipt of, and need for, social services; and measures of optimism, achievement motivation, goals and purposes, and self–efficacy. These data represent a preliminary analysis of a three-year longitudinal study. Throughout the study centrality of racial identity and its relationship to other variables will be examined.
Learning Objectives: Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, participants should be able to: 1) understand the importance of the centrality of racial identity; 2) understand the relationship of racial identity to quality of life and attitudes; and 3) become more aware of the implications of racial identity for training, interventions and research
Keywords: Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Service Delivery
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.