Racial Identity Profiles of Asian-White Biracial Young Adults: Testing a Theoretical Model With Cultural and Psychological Correlates

Although the biracial population is expected to grow at astonishing rates in the upcoming decades across North America, rigorous quantitative psychological research on biracial identity is currently scarce. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine biracial identity profiles in a large sample of Asian-White biracial young adults (n=330, aged 18-30) living in the United States and Canada, as well as assess the interrelationships among biracial identity and psychological adjustment variables. Grounded in the expanded theoretical model of Multiracial Heritage Awareness and Personal Affiliation (M-HAPA:Choi-Misailidis, 2004) and its corresponding biracial identity measure, cluster analysis was conducted to evaluate participants’ ‘patterns’ or ’profiles’ of scores on biracial identity orientation subscales. Three unique biracial identity groups emerged: the Asian-White Integrated, the Asian Dominant, and the White Dominant groups. Between-groups differences on participants’ measures of cultural socialization, psychological distress, and internalized oppression were analyzed and compared. The Asian-White Integrated group reported more cultural socialization than the other 2 groups. Furthermore, Asian Dominant participants showed the highest levels of psychological distress, whereas White Dominant participants showed the highest levels of internalized oppression among all groups. The results lend empirical support to the study’s hypotheses and the M-HAPA model. Theoretical, conceptual, and methodological implications for future biracial identity research are discussed

Utilizing the Strengths of Our Cultures: Therapy with Biracial Women and Girls

Historically, psychology has operated from a pathology-based perspective. In the last several years, however, efforts have been made to balance this view with an acknowledgement of individual strengths and assets. For biracial women and girls, this approach may be particularly useful. Through the utilization of several techniques, including solution-focused interventions and narrative approaches to treatment, therapists can empower their female biracial clients through development of their strengths

BIRACIAL – BLACK? A SURVEY OF LANGUAGE USE AND LANGUAGE ATTITUDES IN POLAND AND GERMANY

The paper deals with the construction of race from the perspective of cognitive sociolinguistics. The focus is upon the perception of mixed-race people of black and white heritage in Poland and Germany compared to the USA, and its reflection in language use. The study clarifies in how far a socially marked perception of biracial people applies in these countries with very small population of black ancestry. Among other things, the first presidential campaign of Barack Obama is used to investigate the occurrence in both countries of mental colouring of biracial people. The paper also reflects the language debate on political correctness of the press language, sparked off by the presidential campaign and its media coverage. It presents claims and arguments by proponents of various solutions regarding referring to biracial people, and paradoxes showing up in the relationship between language use and ideological positions when the race issue is at stake

A Content and Methodological Review of Articles Concerning Multiracial Issues in Six Major Counseling Journals

This study describes a comprehensive content and methodological review of articles about multiracial issues in 6 journals related to counseling up to the year 2006. The authors summarize findings about the 18 articles that emerged from this review of the Journal of Counseling Psychology, Journal of Counseling & Development, The Counseling Psychologist, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, and Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development. The authors specifically note trends in content and methodology as well as future directions for research

Utilizing the Strengths of Our Cultures: Therapy with Biracial Women and Girls

Historically, psychology has operated from a pathology-based perspective. In the last several years, however, efforts have been made to balance this view with an acknowledgement of individual strengths and assets. For biracial women and girls, this approach may be particularly useful. Through the utilization of several techniques, including solution-focused interventions and narrative approaches to treatment, therapists can empower their female biracial clients through development of their strengths

Seeing Me in the Story: Representation of Multiracial Characters in Multimedia

In 2015, I discovered Saga, a graphic novel series that chronicles a science fiction story of war, family, and forbidden love. This series resonated with me because it is the first piece of pop culture that I invested in with a leading character whose racial identity is similar to my own. I discovered three multiracial characters in different forms of media set within the United States: Lincoln Clay from the videogame Mafia III, Lara Jean Covey from the movie To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and Miles Morales from Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man. As both a student affairs professional and a multiracial individual, I use current literature on the multiracial experience in the United States and multiracial identity development theories from my field as a lens to analyze these characters and how I see aspects of my identity in their stories

Evolution of the Racial Identity of Children of Loving: Has Our Thinking About Race and Racial Issues Become Obsolete?

I served on the panel entitled “The Children of Loving,” which for me has two connotations. First, as an African American who married a white woman twenty years after the decision, I am a child of Loving in the sense that I was in an interracial marriage. But as a father of two black-white biracial children, I am also a father of two Lovingchildren. In this Article, I focus on the latter connotation of the “Children of Loving.” In particular, I discuss the evolution of my children’s racial identities. Due to my personal connections, I can share both an academic and personal narrative about this evolution

Maori women and dual ethnicity: Non-congruence, “passing” and “real Maori”

In this study, I wanted to explore the often uncomfortable experience of having dual ethnicity. I did this through open-ended interviews with nine women, who, like me, were aged between 20 and 30 and who identified as being of both Maori and Pakeha (or other) descent. While the women all identified as having dual ethnicity, as the interviews progressed it became clear that many of them had little pride in being of Pakeha descent and identified more strongly with their Maori heritage. In most instances the way they were identified by other people was incongruent with how the participants identified themselves. By virtue of having fair skin, many were able to “pass” as Pakeha. This provided them with certain advantages, notably being exempt from racist treatment. On the other hand, their appearance often resulted in them being labelled as not being a “real Maori.” Paradoxically, when they were identified as Maori, others, both Maori and non-Maori, sometimes expected them to be an expert in all things Maori. For most participants being a “real” Maori did not rely on looking Maori or on being able to speak Te Reo fluently. Instead, having whakapapa was considered the most essential element on which to base their Maori identity