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The Influence of Cognitive Development and Perceived Racial Discrimination on the Psychological Well-being of African American Youth

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Abstract

The present study examined the influence of cognitive development in the relationship between multiple types of racial discrimination and psychological well-being. A sample of 322 African American adolescents (53% female), aged 13–18, completed measures of cognitive development, racial discrimination, self-esteem and depressive symptoms. Based on the cognitive development measure, youth were categorized as having pre-formal or formal reasoning abilities. The results indicate no significant differences in perceptions of individual, cultural or collective/institutional racism between pre-formal reasoning and formal reasoning adolescents. However, the results do suggest that perceptions of collective/institutional racism were more harmful for the self-esteem of pre-formal reasoning youth than the self-esteem of formal reasoning youth. The implications for the racial discrimination literature among African American adolescents are discussed.

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  1. Department of Psychology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 3270, 208 Davie Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3270, USA

    Eleanor K. Seaton

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  1. Eleanor K. Seaton
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Correspondence to Eleanor K. Seaton.

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Seaton, E.K. The Influence of Cognitive Development and Perceived Racial Discrimination on the Psychological Well-being of African American Youth. J Youth Adolescence 39, 694–703 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-009-9438-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-009-9438-4

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