Parenting practices and adolescent decision-making: The importance of racial socialization

The current work sought to understand the ways in which family-level factors are related to youth's decisions regarding two hypothetical social dilemmas commonly faced by youth in high risk environments - deciding how to respond to persistent teasing and whether to intervene in a group fight. Specifically, the study focused on the relationship between African American youth's range of decisions on the two social dilemmas and five parenting practices previously identified as correlates to youth well-being. Analyses of data gathered from 118 African American youth and their caregivers revealed that only racial socialization parenting practices were significant factors against choosing escalating options on the two dilemma scenarios. These results add to the growing evidence of the positive effects of racial socialization upon African American youth. The current study highlights the importance of examining the ways in which racial socialization can enhance the decision-making of African American youth.