ETHNIC-RACIAL SOCIALIZATION MAPPING IN ETHNIC-RACIAL MINORITY POPULATIONS: EXPLORING THE EFFICACY OF AN INTERVENTION TO INCREASE WELL-BEING AND SECURE ETHNIC-RACIAL IDENTITY

In this dissertation, I explore the benefits of developing an intervention entitled ethnic-racial socialization mapping. Previously, researchers have developed the importance of establishing a secure ethnic-racial identity in ethnic-racial minority populations, as it is tied with increased well-being. Additionally, researchers have called for interventions that highlight the role of ethnic-racial socialization in minority populations, as this process is connected with a secure ethnic-racial identity. I answer these calls by reviewing current research, leading to the creation of ethnic-racial socialization mapping as an identity intervention. In chapter 1, I explore how ethnic-racial identity and ethnic-racial socialization has been conceptualized, as well as why ethnic-racial socialization mapping offers a unique, visual intervention. In chapter 2, I overview my methodology for answering my hypotheses and research questions. Using a three-group pre-test posttest experimental design, I tested the efficacy of the use of ethnic-racial socialization mapping for improving participant secure ethnic-racial identity and well-being. In one treatment group, participants engaged in ethnic-racial socialization mapping. In another treatment condition, participants engaged in ethnic-racial socialization mapping and reflected on their familial conversations about ethnicity and race. In chapter three, I overview the efficacy of the ethnic-racial socialization intervention. I found partial support for ethnic-racial socialization mapping as an intervention. In chapter four, I examined the ethnic-racial socialization maps to see if there were different types of families. I developed a four-group typology of maps that indicate different dimensions of ethnic-racial socialization. I also compared family types ethnic-racial identity measures and well-being measures. In chapter 5, I overview discourses of ethnic-racial socialization in participant interviews. Overall, I found five themes that characterized participant experiences. Lastly, in chapter 6, I explore the implications of these findings for future researchers, as well as how family communication can move forward using these findings. Superviser Professor Jordan E. Soli

Beyond Blood: Examining the Communicative Challenges of Adoptive Families

This study examined how adoptive families discursively create family identity through their communication. Building on theories of discourse dependence and family communication patterns, this research examined how families whose identity does not meet a bio-genetic view of family must re-define family using communication. Often times, families that are created outside biological means must renegotiate family identity both within the family, and outside the family, from those who feel comfortable commenting and questioning their family composition. Communication becomes a tool that adoptees must use to understand their family identity, as well as their own adoptive identity. Furthermore, this study looked to see how adoptees recall intrusive interactions and memorable messages about adoption, and whether this differed based on transracial or monoracial adoptees. Adult adoptees were asked to fill out an online survey, asking about intrusive interactions, memorable messages, and overall family communication styles. The results indicated that there was small differences between transracial and monoracial adoptees. However, family communication style had an important impact on how adoptees processed their adoption and felt part of the family, regardless of race. Open communication, and positive messages about adoption were associated with lower levels of preoccupation among adoptees as well as higher feeling of inclusiveness within their families. In addition, adoptees who were satisfied with how intrusive interactions were handled, either by themselves or by family members, felt lower preoccupation about their adoption. These results indicate that communication serves as a powerful tool for adoptive families to discursively redefine what family means beyond biological ties

ETHNIC-RACIAL SOCIALIZATION MAPPING IN ETHNIC-RACIAL MINORITY POPULATIONS: EXPLORING THE EFFICACY OF AN INTERVENTION TO INCREASE WELL-BEING AND SECURE ETHNIC-RACIAL IDENTITY

In this dissertation, I explore the benefits of developing an intervention entitled ethnic-racial socialization mapping. Previously, researchers have developed the importance of establishing a secure ethnic-racial identity in ethnic-racial minority populations, as it is tied with increased well-being. Additionally, researchers have called for interventions that highlight the role of ethnic-racial socialization in minority populations, as this process is connected with a secure ethnic-racial identity. I answer these calls by reviewing current research, leading to the creation of ethnic-racial socialization mapping as an identity intervention. In chapter 1, I explore how ethnic-racial identity and ethnic-racial socialization has been conceptualized, as well as why ethnic-racial socialization mapping offers a unique, visual intervention. In chapter 2, I overview my methodology for answering my hypotheses and research questions. Using a three-group pre-test posttest experimental design, I tested the efficacy of the use of ethnic-racial socialization mapping for improving participant secure ethnic-racial identity and well-being. In one treatment group, participants engaged in ethnic-racial socialization mapping. In another treatment condition, participants engaged in ethnic-racial socialization mapping and reflected on their familial conversations about ethnicity and race. In chapter three, I overview the efficacy of the ethnic-racial socialization intervention. I found partial support for ethnic-racial socialization mapping as an intervention. In chapter four, I examined the ethnic-racial socialization maps to see if there were different types of families. I developed a four-group typology of maps that indicate different dimensions of ethnic-racial socialization. I also compared family types ethnic-racial identity measures and well-being measures. In chapter 5, I overview discourses of ethnic-racial socialization in participant interviews. Overall, I found five themes that characterized participant experiences. Lastly, in chapter 6, I explore the implications of these findings for future researchers, as well as how family communication can move forward using these findings. Superviser Professor Jordan E. Soli

Ethnic-Racial Socialization Mapping in Ethnic-Racial Minority Populations: Exploring the Efficacy of an Intervention to Increase Well-Being and Secure Ethnic-Racial Identity

In this dissertation, I explore the benefits of developing an intervention entitled ethnic-racial socialization mapping. Previously, researchers have developed the importance of establishing a secure ethnic-racial identity in ethnic-racial minority populations, as it is tied with increased well-being. Additionally, researchers have called for interventions that highlight the role of ethnic-racial socialization in minority populations, as this process is connected with a secure ethnic-racial identity. I answer these calls by reviewing current research, leading to the creation of ethnic-racial socialization mapping as an identity intervention. In chapter 1, I explore how ethnic-racial identity and ethnic-racial socialization has been conceptualized, as well as why ethnic-racial socialization mapping offers a unique, visual intervention. In chapter 2, I overview my methodology for answering my hypotheses and research questions. Using a three-group pre-test posttest experimental design, I tested the efficacy of the use of ethnic-racial socialization mapping for improving participant secure ethnic-racial identity and well-being. In one treatment group, participants engaged in ethnic-racial socialization mapping. In another treatment condition, participants engaged in ethnic-racial socialization mapping and reflected on their familial conversations about ethnicity and race. In chapter three, I overview the efficacy of the ethnic-racial socialization intervention. I found partial support for ethnic-racial socialization mapping as an intervention. In chapter four, I examined the ethnic-racial socialization maps to see if there were different types of families. I developed a four-group typology of maps that indicate different dimensions of ethnic-racial socialization. I also compared family types ethnic-racial identity measures and well-being measures. In chapter 5, I overview discourses of ethnic-racial socialization in participant interviews. Overall, I found five themes that characterized participant experiences. Lastly, in chapter 6, I explore the implications of these findings for future researchers, as well as how family communication can move forward using these findings

Ethnic-Racial Socialization Mapping in Ethnic-Racial Minority Populations: Exploring the Efficacy of an Intervention to Increase Well-Being and Secure Ethnic-Racial Identity

In this dissertation, I explore the benefits of developing an intervention entitled ethnic-racial socialization mapping. Previously, researchers have developed the importance of establishing a secure ethnic-racial identity in ethnic-racial minority populations, as it is tied with increased well-being. Additionally, researchers have called for interventions that highlight the role of ethnic-racial socialization in minority populations, as this process is connected with a secure ethnic-racial identity. I answer these calls by reviewing current research, leading to the creation of ethnic-racial socialization mapping as an identity intervention. In chapter 1, I explore how ethnic-racial identity and ethnic-racial socialization has been conceptualized, as well as why ethnic-racial socialization mapping offers a unique, visual intervention. In chapter 2, I overview my methodology for answering my hypotheses and research questions. Using a three-group pre-test posttest experimental design, I tested the efficacy of the use of ethnic-racial socialization mapping for improving participant secure ethnic-racial identity and well-being. In one treatment group, participants engaged in ethnic-racial socialization mapping. In another treatment condition, participants engaged in ethnic-racial socialization mapping and reflected on their familial conversations about ethnicity and race. In chapter three, I overview the efficacy of the ethnic-racial socialization intervention. I found partial support for ethnic-racial socialization mapping as an intervention. In chapter four, I examined the ethnic-racial socialization maps to see if there were different types of families. I developed a four-group typology of maps that indicate different dimensions of ethnic-racial socialization. I also compared family types ethnic-racial identity measures and well-being measures. In chapter 5, I overview discourses of ethnic-racial socialization in participant interviews. Overall, I found five themes that characterized participant experiences. Lastly, in chapter 6, I explore the implications of these findings for future researchers, as well as how family communication can move forward using these findings

Communication Accommodation and Identity Gaps as Predictors of Relational Solidarity in Interfaith Family Relationships

Guided by Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) and Communication Theory of Identity (CTI), the purpose of this study was to investigate how families communicatively negotiate religious differences and how that negotiation is related to parent-child relational solidarity. Specifically, we examined the direct effects of (non)accommodative communication on relational solidarity and indirect effects via identity gaps. Using a cross-sectional survey from emerging adult college students (N = 234), we found nonaccommodative communication is indirectly related to lower relational solidarity through increased identity gaps. Accommodative communication is indirectly related to higher relational solidarity through decreased identity gaps. When parents use accommodative strategies, they may help alleviate the mismatch between their child’s personal, enacted, and relational layers of identity, and foster increased relational solidarity

Communicated perspective-taking (CPT) and storylistening: Testing the impact of CPT in the context of friends telling stories of difficulty

Grounded in communicated narrative sense-making theory (CNSM), the purpose of the current study was to test the effects of storylisteners’ communicated perspective taking (CPT) on storytellers’ well-being and evaluations of storylisteners’ communication skills in the context of telling stories about difficulty. Pairs of friends (n = 37) engaged in a storytelling interaction in which one person told a story of a difficult life experience (DLE). Listeners’ CPT was rated by observers using the Communicated Perspective-Taking Rating System (CPTRS) and tellers reported on listeners’ behaviors and their own psychosocial health. Results indicate that observed CPT relates positively to tellers’ perceptions of listeners’ communication competence and CPT, and negatively to listeners’ perceived face threat. Particularly important were the identity validation, agreement, and affective tone dimensions of the CPTRS. The links between observed CPT and communication skills were moderated by the degree to which the DLE was considered upsetting, significant, and based on how often the DLE story had been told. Despite previous research, observed CPT was not related to psychosocial health in the current study

Communication Accommodation and Identity Gaps as Predictors of Relational Solidarity in Interfaith Family Relationships

Guided by Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) and Communication Theory of Identity (CTI), the purpose of this study was to investigate how families communicatively negotiate religious differences and how that negotiation is related to parent-child relational solidarity. Specifically, we examined the direct effects of (non)accommodative communication on relational solidarity and indirect effects via identity gaps. Using a cross-sectional survey from emerging adult college students (N = 234), we found nonaccommodative communication is indirectly related to lower relational solidarity through increased identity gaps. Accommodative communication is indirectly related to higher relational solidarity through decreased identity gaps. When parents use accommodative strategies, they may help alleviate the mismatch between their child’s personal, enacted, and relational layers of identity, and foster increased relational solidarity

Communicated perspective-taking (CPT) and storylistening: Testing the impact of CPT in the context of friends telling stories of difficulty

Grounded in communicated narrative sense-making theory (CNSM), the purpose of the current study was to test the effects of storylisteners’ communicated perspective taking (CPT) on storytellers’ well-being and evaluations of storylisteners’ communication skills in the context of telling stories about difficulty. Pairs of friends (n = 37) engaged in a storytelling interaction in which one person told a story of a difficult life experience (DLE). Listeners’ CPT was rated by observers using the Communicated Perspective-Taking Rating System (CPTRS) and tellers reported on listeners’ behaviors and their own psychosocial health. Results indicate that observed CPT relates positively to tellers’ perceptions of listeners’ communication competence and CPT, and negatively to listeners’ perceived face threat. Particularly important were the identity validation, agreement, and affective tone dimensions of the CPTRS. The links between observed CPT and communication skills were moderated by the degree to which the DLE was considered upsetting, significant, and based on how often the DLE story had been told. Despite previous research, observed CPT was not related to psychosocial health in the current study