Intergenerational evidence of racial socialization among African American mothers and their children

The current study was conducted in an effort to examine the intergenerational transmittal of racial socialization between mothers and their children. It has been suggested that racial socialization messages are transmitted intergenerationally by African American mothers to maintain their heritage and to mitigate against negative consequences that may affect their children's development. One hundred and thirty-one African American mother-child dyads were surveyed. Mothers completed measures exploring their perceived racial socialization and racial socialization strategies, while their children, ages 10–13, completed a racial socialization, racial identity, self-esteem, and general parenting instruments.;Results support a mediational model. Mothers' reports of child racial socialization mediated the relationship between mothers' reports of perceived racial socialization from their mothers and the children's reports of maternal socialization. This indicates that perceived socialization received from grandmothers increases mothers' socialization, and mother's socialization of their children subsequently increases children's perception of their racial socialization. The findings are discussed in terms of the implications racial socialization has on a child's sense of racial identity and self-esteem. Directions for future research are also provided.