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White Italian Parents' Ethnic-Racial Socialization and Young Children's Prosocial Behavior toward Outgroup Peers

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Title: White Italian Parents' Ethnic-Racial Socialization and Young Children's Prosocial Behavior toward Outgroup Peers
Language: English
Authors: Daniele Di Tata (ORCID 0000-0001-9011-8966), Stefania Sette (ORCID 0000-0003-4953-0128), Tracy L. Spinrad (ORCID 0000-0003-4637-668X), Gabrielle Coppola (ORCID 0000-0003-0147-6142), Pasquale Musso (ORCID 0000-0002-4725-6551), Lucia S. Lillo, Federica Bianco (ORCID 0000-0002-9530-3084), Marina Camodeca (ORCID 0000-0002-7507-2039), Aurora Rinaldi, Fiorenzo Laghi (ORCID 0000-0003-3969-4292), Courtney A. Hagan (ORCID 0000-0002-3427-9535), Amy G. Halberstadt (ORCID 0000-0003-0349-8011)
Source: Social Development. 2026 35(2).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Whites, Parents, Socialization, Prosocial Behavior, Race, Ethnicity, Peer Relationship, Preschool Children, Intergroup Relations, Social Development
Geographic Terms: Italy
DOI: 10.1111/sode.70049
ISSN: 0961-205X
1467-9507
Abstract: White parents adopt various ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) approaches that shape children's understanding of race and ethnicity, sometimes fostering awareness of ethnic-racial inequalities and encouraging positive attitudes toward individuals from diverse backgrounds, and sometimes perpetuating a dominating perspective of whiteness as an invisible, natural privilege that is assumed while "othering" non-White racial and ethnic groups. Whereas a growing body of research has examined ERS among White parents in the United States, less is known about these dynamics in European contexts, where ethnic-racial relationships are increasingly salient. To address this gap, we examined ERS among White Italian parents and its association with children's prosocial behavior toward outgroup peers. The study involved 296 White Italian parents and their preschool children, recruited from different regions of Italy. Parents completed an adapted Italian version of the White Racial Socialization Questionnaire (WRSQ), assessing three ERS approaches: Conscious, Discussion-hesitant, and Evasive. Children's prosocial behavior was measured through parental reports and a sticker-sharing task, in which children were asked to share resources with ingroup and outgroup peers. Factor analysis confirmed three dimensions in our adapted version of the WRSQ. Results from a path analysis, controlling for children's age, sex, and parent education, showed positive and significant associations between parents' conscious ERS and their children's prosocial behavior toward outgroup peers, as reflected in both parental reports and the sticker-sharing task. Conversely, parents' evasive and discussion-hesitant approaches were not significantly related to their children's prosocial behavior toward outgroup peers. No significant associations emerged between ERS approaches and prosocial behavior toward ingroup peers. Findings provide further evidence for the role of parental ERS in young children's interpersonal behavior, providing valuable insights for fostering inclusive social development in early childhood.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://osf.io/cbgve/?view_only=2a9c60eef29042b9a7e37fd7025cede7
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1503943
Database: ERIC
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  Data: White Italian Parents' Ethnic-Racial Socialization and Young Children's Prosocial Behavior toward Outgroup Peers
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Daniele+Di+Tata%22">Daniele Di Tata</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9011-8966">0000-0001-9011-8966</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stefania+Sette%22">Stefania Sette</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4953-0128">0000-0003-4953-0128</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tracy+L%2E+Spinrad%22">Tracy L. Spinrad</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4637-668X">0000-0003-4637-668X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gabrielle+Coppola%22">Gabrielle Coppola</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0147-6142">0000-0003-0147-6142</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pasquale+Musso%22">Pasquale Musso</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4725-6551">0000-0002-4725-6551</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lucia+S%2E+Lillo%22">Lucia S. Lillo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Federica+Bianco%22">Federica Bianco</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9530-3084">0000-0002-9530-3084</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marina+Camodeca%22">Marina Camodeca</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7507-2039">0000-0002-7507-2039</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Aurora+Rinaldi%22">Aurora Rinaldi</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fiorenzo+Laghi%22">Fiorenzo Laghi</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3969-4292">0000-0003-3969-4292</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Courtney+A%2E+Hagan%22">Courtney A. Hagan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3427-9535">0000-0002-3427-9535</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amy+G%2E+Halberstadt%22">Amy G. Halberstadt</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0349-8011">0000-0003-0349-8011</externalLink>)
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: 13
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Whites%22">Whites</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parents%22">Parents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socialization%22">Socialization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prosocial+Behavior%22">Prosocial Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Race%22">Race</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnicity%22">Ethnicity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Peer+Relationship%22">Peer Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Preschool+Children%22">Preschool Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intergroup+Relations%22">Intergroup Relations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Development%22">Social Development</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Italy%22">Italy</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
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  Data: 10.1111/sode.70049
– Name: ISSN
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  Data: 0961-205X<br />1467-9507
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: White parents adopt various ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) approaches that shape children's understanding of race and ethnicity, sometimes fostering awareness of ethnic-racial inequalities and encouraging positive attitudes toward individuals from diverse backgrounds, and sometimes perpetuating a dominating perspective of whiteness as an invisible, natural privilege that is assumed while "othering" non-White racial and ethnic groups. Whereas a growing body of research has examined ERS among White parents in the United States, less is known about these dynamics in European contexts, where ethnic-racial relationships are increasingly salient. To address this gap, we examined ERS among White Italian parents and its association with children's prosocial behavior toward outgroup peers. The study involved 296 White Italian parents and their preschool children, recruited from different regions of Italy. Parents completed an adapted Italian version of the White Racial Socialization Questionnaire (WRSQ), assessing three ERS approaches: Conscious, Discussion-hesitant, and Evasive. Children's prosocial behavior was measured through parental reports and a sticker-sharing task, in which children were asked to share resources with ingroup and outgroup peers. Factor analysis confirmed three dimensions in our adapted version of the WRSQ. Results from a path analysis, controlling for children's age, sex, and parent education, showed positive and significant associations between parents' conscious ERS and their children's prosocial behavior toward outgroup peers, as reflected in both parental reports and the sticker-sharing task. Conversely, parents' evasive and discussion-hesitant approaches were not significantly related to their children's prosocial behavior toward outgroup peers. No significant associations emerged between ERS approaches and prosocial behavior toward ingroup peers. Findings provide further evidence for the role of parental ERS in young children's interpersonal behavior, providing valuable insights for fostering inclusive social development in early childhood.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1503943
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