This study used the SPSS Process Macro to conduct a parallel mediation regression analysis examining the direct and indirect influence of adolescent perceptions of discrimination on academic outcomes and socioemotional adjustment through teacher and peer relationships in a sample of Mexican-origin adolescents from Northern California (N=674, M_age=14.27), when controlling for socioeconomic status, English fluency, acculturation, and gender. The results of our study indicate that perceptions of discrimination significantly and negatively predicted the quality of relationships with teachers (β=-0.34,p<0.02), but not peers. Teacher-child relationships, however, did not significantly predict academic performance. Interestingly, acculturation had a negative and significant relationship with all study variables, indicating that as acculturation increased, the quality of teacher and peer relationships, academic outcomes, and socioemotional adjustment decreased, suggesting high degrees of cultural cohesion in the community or possible school-level protective factors that offset these negative experiences (i.e. teacher/student ethnic match, inclusive learning environments, or socioemotional supports). Perceptions of discrimination both directly (c'=-0.27,p<0.00) and indirectly affect socioemotional adjustment through teacher (a_1 b_1=-0.02, c=-.31), and peer relationships (a_2 b_2=-0.01). Future studies should examine these contexts to identify the specific school or community-level protective factors that shield Mexican-origin students from the harmful effects on academic performance but not socioemotional adjustment. Authors:
Carrie Badillo, Texas Tech University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Carrie Badillo is a 2nd year doctoral student and research assistant at Texas Tech University - Human Development Family Sciences. Her research examines risk and resiliency factors influencing educational outcomes of marginalized youth.

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