Growing Up Multiracial

Today’s blog posting is written by my colleague, Dr. Alicia del Prado, who is an assistant professor in the clinical psychology program at The Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA. She teaches Life Span Development and specializes in multicultural psychology and university mental health. Dr. del Prado also works as a consultant, providing seminars and workshops to programs on enhancing multicultural competency in the work place. Her most recent publications include book chapters on multiracial identity and ethnicity in therapy. An American with Filipino and Italian ancestry, Dr. del Prado’s personal experiences as a multiracial person contribute to her professional dedication to enhancing multicultural competency in psychology and society.

An increasing number of children in the United States have two or more racial heritages. At the time of the 2000 U.S. Census, approximately 7 million people identified as being two or more races. Nearly 42% of this multiracial population was under the age of 18.

Children may recognize racial differences as early as three years old. Helping children feel comfortable in “their own skin” is an important part of healthy identity development. Perhaps not surprisingly, children of mixed race may encounter some identity development experiences that children with one racial background do not undergo. Parents and adults responsible for the emotional and psychological well-being of mixed race children may be facing issues they never came across themselves.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Maria Root found that multiracial persons shared common experiences, such as being frequently asked by others “What are you?” and racially identifying differently than their brothers and sisters. Other common experiences by some multiracial persons include being rejected by relatives because of their parents’ interracial relationships and receiving looks from strangers trying to figure out if they are related to their parents.

Monoracial parents and caregivers may not be familiar with the unique issues that their multiracial children face. However, psychologists suggest that family play an important role in the development of multiracial persons. Parents and caregivers can positively influence mixed-race children’s self-concept and happiness by communicating acceptance of children’s self-exploration and self-descriptions. Racial identity is not static but will likely change over time and across situations.

Adults can communicate a positive and open environment about multiracial identity to their children by introducing and emphasizing:

1. Multiracial-affirmative stories, color books, and toys
2. Open-ended avenues for expression, such as creative writing, painting, and drawing
3. Positive aspects and strengths of being multiracial
4. Dialogue about race and listening supportively to any hurtful racial comments their children may have experienced
5. Multiracial role models and peers

As children get older, caregivers may also want to present and discuss Dr. Root’s “Bill of Rights for Racially Mixed People”, a series of affirmations that encourages self-acceptance, integration of identities, and empowerment.

Each child is unique. Factors such as personality, physical appearance, and gender influence how a child experiences and expresses her or his racial identity. Furthermore, what it means to belong to multiple racial groups means different things to different people, families, and cultures. Talking with your children about their multiracial identity as well as providing them with multiracial-affirmative resources can help promote healthy, positive identity development.

For further information on multiracial identity development:

del Prado, A. M., & Lyda, J. (2009). The Multiracial movement: Bridging society’s language barrier. In J. L. Ching (Ed.), Diversity in mind and action (Vol. 1, pp. 1-16). Santa Barbara, CA: Praegar.

Root, M. P. P., & Kelley, M. (Eds.), Multiracial Child Resource Book (pp. 34-41) Seattle, WA: Mavin Foundation.

http://www.drmariaroot.com/doc/50Experiences.pdf

http://www.drmariaroot.com/doc/BillOfRights.pdf