Longitudinal Within- and Between-Person Effects of School Discrimination on U.S. Latino/a Adolescents' Prosocial Behaviors
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| Title: | Longitudinal Within- and Between-Person Effects of School Discrimination on U.S. Latino/a Adolescents' Prosocial Behaviors |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Roushanac Partovi (ORCID |
| Source: | Developmental Psychology. 2026 62(6):1162-1175. |
| Availability: | American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 14 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (DHHS/NIH) |
| Contract Number: | R01HD090232 R01HD106650 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Junior High Schools Middle Schools Secondary Education High Schools |
| Descriptors: | Educational Discrimination, Adolescents, Prosocial Behavior, Behavior Development, Middle School Students, High School Students, Hispanic American Students, School Transition |
| Geographic Terms: | Georgia (Atlanta) |
| DOI: | 10.1037/dev0001989 |
| ISSN: | 0012-1649 1939-0599 |
| Abstract: | Following a school-based community sample of U.S. Latino/a adolescents surveyed at seven time points from eighth to 11th grade, we examined within- and between-person effects of school adult discrimination on adolescent engagement in emotional, dire, and compliant forms of prosocial behaviors across semester and school transitions. Participants were 547 U.S. Latino/a adolescents (M[subscript age] = 13.70 years; 45% boys; 90% U.S. born) in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, a new immigrant destination. We conducted analyses using random-intercept cross-lagged panel models. Within-person effects across all time points indicated that, when an adolescent's report of discrimination at one time point exceeded their average discrimination score across all time points, the adolescent reported fewer dire prosocial behaviors at a subsequent time point. Additionally, from the fall of eighth grade through the spring of ninth grade, adolescents who reported greater school adult discrimination compared with their own cross-time averages reported lower engagement in emotional prosocial behaviors at subsequent time points. Importantly, tests of indirect effects demonstrated that discrimination experienced before and after the transition to high school had lasting spillover effects on emotional and dire prosocial behaviors later in high school. Between-person effects indicated that adolescents with higher average scores for discrimination across all time points engaged in fewer compliant and emotional prosocial behaviors, on average. The findings highlight that discrimination from adults at school may contribute to declines in Latino/a adolescent prosocial behaviors but in unique ways depending upon the form of prosocial behavior and school transitions. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1505777 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Following a school-based community sample of U.S. Latino/a adolescents surveyed at seven time points from eighth to 11th grade, we examined within- and between-person effects of school adult discrimination on adolescent engagement in emotional, dire, and compliant forms of prosocial behaviors across semester and school transitions. Participants were 547 U.S. Latino/a adolescents (M[subscript age] = 13.70 years; 45% boys; 90% U.S. born) in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, a new immigrant destination. We conducted analyses using random-intercept cross-lagged panel models. Within-person effects across all time points indicated that, when an adolescent's report of discrimination at one time point exceeded their average discrimination score across all time points, the adolescent reported fewer dire prosocial behaviors at a subsequent time point. Additionally, from the fall of eighth grade through the spring of ninth grade, adolescents who reported greater school adult discrimination compared with their own cross-time averages reported lower engagement in emotional prosocial behaviors at subsequent time points. Importantly, tests of indirect effects demonstrated that discrimination experienced before and after the transition to high school had lasting spillover effects on emotional and dire prosocial behaviors later in high school. Between-person effects indicated that adolescents with higher average scores for discrimination across all time points engaged in fewer compliant and emotional prosocial behaviors, on average. The findings highlight that discrimination from adults at school may contribute to declines in Latino/a adolescent prosocial behaviors but in unique ways depending upon the form of prosocial behavior and school transitions. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0012-1649 1939-0599 |
| DOI: | 10.1037/dev0001989 |
