Do interracial friendships increase the odds of having an interracial romantic relationship later in adolescence?

Despite growing racial and ethnic diversity in North America, interracial romantic relationships remain rare among youth. This study tested whether forming an interracial friendship by the end of middle school predicted interracial romantic relationships by the end of high school, beyond opportunities provided by school demographics. Data were from a longitudinal study of 2418 students followed from grades 8 to 12 from 26 racially diverse California public schools. Of those in relationships, 32.6% had an interracial partner. Greater availability of cross-race peers in high school increased the odds of interracial romantic relationships, OR = 2.23, p < .001. Having at least one earlier interracial friendship 4 years earlier nearly doubled this likelihood, OR = 1.86, p < .001. Findings underscore the role of school diversity and continuity across close relationship types.