The Interpretation of Multiracial Status and Its Relation to Social Engagement and Psychological Well‐Being

Abstract

This research examines how multiracial individuals chose to identify themselves with respect to their racial identity and how this choice relates to their self‐reported psychological well‐being (e.g., self‐esteem, positive affect) and level of social engagement (e.g., citizenship behaviors, group alienation). High school students who belong to multiple racial/ethnic groups (N = 182) were asked to indicate the group with which they primarily identify. Participants were then classified as identifying with a low‐status group (i.e., Black or Latino), a high‐status group (i.e., Asian or White), or multiple groups (e.g., Black and White, etc.). Results showed that, compared with multiracial individuals who identified primarily with a low‐ or high‐status group, those who identified with multiple groups tended to report either equal or higher psychological well‐being and social engagement. Potential explanations and implications for understanding multiracial identity are discussed.