Racial Socialization as a Mechanism for Positive Development Among African American Youth

This review considers the relation between racial socialization and positive youth development in African American families. A central premise is that positive youth outcomes (competence, confidence, character, connection, and caring) are often directly supported through traditional racial socialization messages (such as cultural socialization, preparation for bias, self-worth, and egalitarianism). The review draws contrasts between the more prevalent risk and resilience models and positive youth development, and makes recommendations for future research directions.