Toward Methods for Assessing Racial Socialization in Early Childhood in Black American Families

OBJECTIVE: The goal of the present study was to conduct focus groups on the parameters of racial socialization in early childhood to inform the development of methods of assessment in the research context. METHODS: Black mothers of 4-6-year-old children were guided by four questions: if and how mothers discuss race and racism; why they decide to talk about race and racism; when and in what contexts they consider discussing race and racism; and what they say to their children. Coded transcripts were used to describe racial socialization practices. RESULTS: Mothers described balancing a desire for their children to have strong racial identities with concerns about their emotional and cognitive readiness for processing information about race and racism. Broad approaches to racial socialization, including incorporating socialization into day-to-day parenting practices, affirming their children's beauty and culture, and discussing humanistic qualities that the mothers value, characterized their racial socialization practices. Mothers described responding to their children's questions or observations of their day-to-day experiences (e.g. peers with different skin color) to introduce broad concepts about race. CONCLUSION: Black mothers want to guide their children's racial socialization in ways that are consistent with their developmental level. Developing tools that include images and prompts that place young children in familiar contexts and provide mothers with the opportunity to use the foundation of physical characteristics and interpersonal interactions to expand and scaffold discussions about race and racism with their children should yield valid and salient data for supporting the health of Black youth.