Introduction
The multiracial population is rapidly growing in the United States. A multiracial person is defined as an individual who claims a parenthood that owes its genesis to more than one ethnic background. They are also referred to as the biracial population. There are tremendous difficulties that multiracial individuals and families face in routing their social world. For instance, multiracial individuals face hardships such as disapproval from their extended families, discrimination, and social isolation on the basis of prejudices against their race. M ultiracial people in the United States face challenges that are not faced by people who are not multiracial (monoracials) and this negatively affects them in different ways. The following literature reviews try to explain the hypothesis of the research.
Literature review
According to AhnAllen, Suyemoto, & Carter (2006), the multiracial population in the U.S. is growing at a very high rate. From a Census done in 2000 by the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of multiracial children has reached 6.8 million people. According to the research, Asian Americans and Japanese Americans make up the biggest percentage of this number. The article concentrates on explaining multiracial identity in relation to several social variables that affect the process of identity development. Identity formation does not only rely on how an individual understands and ascertains with a group but also on how the group treats or reacts to this individual. This social aspect of identity has been revealed in racial/ethnic identity (R/EID) (AhnAllen, Suyemoto, & Carter, 2006). The study concluded that Identity development heavily relies on the sense of belonging and on feelings of exclusion. One’s identity is heavily influenced by exclusion which is one of the major challenges that multiracial people face. The study was done on only three group, consequent to which essential information was obtained. However, there would have been more exposure if the study were to be expanded to include various other groups.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
On their research, Cheng & Lee (2009), explore on some different variables that affect multiracial identities. These variables are racial distance and racial conflicts alongside how they help understand multiracial identity integration (MII). Multiracial individuals face difficulties in choosing their racial identity since one belongs to multiple ethnic groups (Cheng & Lee, 2009). One way that these individual use to negotiate their racial identity is by striking a merger (having both feet in two ethnic groups). Racial conflict is the notion that these two identities have values as well as norms that refute one another while racial distance is the notion that the two identities are parted from one another. Therefore, individuals with low identity integration have a conflict amongst themselves since they do not know which one of their multiple identities they should prefer. Most of them choose to keep them separate despite being a part of both ethnic groups.
The rate at which multiracial children are being born is higher as compared to monoracial births. In their research Choi, Harachi, Gillmore & Catalano, (2006), explained this factor by highlighting the increased multiracial dating and marriages. Adolescence is a crucial stage in a child’s development, and multiracial children face many challenges when growing up. Multiracial adolescents are at high risk as compared to monoracial youths, seeing as they also have to face issues related to their ethnicity in the courses of their personal development. Studies have been done on the issue of challenges that adolescents face, but they fail to acknowledge that multiracial adolescents face more challenges as compared to their monoracial counterparts.
The research aimed at determining the unique challenges that multiracial young adults face as compared to monoracial adults. Research shows that most of these multiracial adolescents are at a higher risk of stress factors such as poor self-image and low self-esteem due to being discriminated against and alienated by their fellow peers. These challenges affect their ability to find their own identity since they feel that they do not wholly belong to any one of their multiple identities. Most of all, being a part of two social groups is stereotyped by the society. It was found out that there is a higher percentage of multiracial youths engaging in substance abuse and violent behaviors as compared to European American youths.
The challenges that these multiracial youths face due to their social status heighten the challenges that each adolescent face since it affects them psychologically. According to Binning, Unzueta, Huo, & Molina (2009), the level of social engagement determines how they choose their identity. The research also points out that most researchers have concentrated on comparing multiracial to monoracial individuals and therefore, have made unjustified assumptions on the uniformity of multiracial identity. Studying within the multiracial group and determining how these individuals perceive their identity, will help in highlighting the many challenges that are associated with their identity, hence will foster the conceptualization of multiracial psychology.
These individuals experience racism in various forms, and this negatively impacts their lives and affects their development. The article by (Snyder, 2016), examines the various ways that these individuals try to cope with racism and discrimination from the society. Snyder also highlights five ways in which most of these individuals use to cope with this act. They include seeking their culture and community, avoidance, internalization, anger and violence, education and activism, and chameleon personalities (Snyder, 2016). Racism is a stressor that has the ability to affect one’s life and how they interact with other people and conduct their day to day activities. For instance, multiracial black individuals’ especially young adults might result in anger and violence when they are discriminated against due to their social status. One of the strengths of this research is that the researcher is a member of one of these multiracial group and therefore, it must have been easier for her to get the information needed for the research.
In conclusion, all these literal texts address similar issues but from different perspectives. They all aim to show the difficulties and challenges that multiracial people face in today’s society. Some of these challenges force them to result to measures that affect their lives negatively. This is most especially true in the case of multiracial adolescents, most of them suffer from low self-esteem which forces some of them to result in substance abuse and violent behaviors. These research sheds light on what these people face, hence calling for breakage of the negative stereotypes that the society has on these individuals.
References
AhnAllen, J., Suyemoto, K., & Carter, A. (2006). Relationship between physical appearance, sense of belonging and exclusion, and racial/ethnic self-identification among multiracial Japanese European Americans. Cultural Diversity And Ethnic Minority Psychology , 12 (4), 673-686. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1099-9809.12.4.673
Binning, K., Unzueta, M., Huo, Y., & Molina, L. (2009). The Interpretation of Multiracial Status and Its Relation to Social Engagement and Psychological Well-Being. Journal Of Social Issues , 65 (1), 35-49 Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2008.01586.x
Cheng, C. & Lee, F. (2009). Multiracial Identity Integration: Perceptions of Conflict and Distance among Multiracial Individuals. Journal Of Social Issues , 65 (1), 51-68. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2008.01587.x
Choi, Y., Harachi, T., Gillmore, M., & Catalano, R. (2006). Are multiracial adolescents at greater risk? Comparisons of rates, patterns, and correlates of substance use and violence between monoracial and multiracial adolescents. American Journal Of Orthopsychiatry , 76 (1), 86-97. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0002-9432.76.1.86
Snyder, C. (2016). Navigating in murky waters: How multiracial Black individuals cope with racism. American Journal Of Orthopsychiatry , 86 (3), 265-276. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ort0000148
