Caregiver Cultural Humility and Its Impact on Mental Health Outcomes for Multiracial Individuals

What is the issue?

Socialization is an important aspect of identity development. It has become especially relevant in discussions of multiracial individuals’ racial identity development because multiracial individuals have a multifaceted racial socialization process. While there is ample research on monoracial socialization, there is almost no research analyzing multiracial socialization. However, several racial socialization practices in multiracial families are theorized to be insufficient. This leaves researchers to wonder what socialization approaches are most effective for promoting positive identity development and mental health outcomes for multiracial youth.

What is the purpose of this study?

In this study, Franco and colleagues explore cultural humility as a potential positive influence on multiracial identity development and mental health. They wanted to determine if primary caregivers practicing cultural humility can promote positive identity development and mental health outcomes. In the context of racial socialization, this means that caregivers are open to and respect the multiracial child’s racial identity choice and encourage identity exploration. They hypothesized:

1) Caregiver cultural humility will be correlated with less depressive symptoms for the multiracial person.

2) Cultural humility will be correlated with more multiracial pride and fewer challenges with racial identity.

3) More multiracial pride and fewer challenges will indirectly explain relationships between caregiver cultural humility and depressive symptoms.

What were the results?

The results found support for the proposed hypotheses. The study proved that primary caregiver cultural humility was correlated with less depressive symptoms, more multiracial pride, and fewer challenges with racial identity. Interestingly, age was found to be an important consideration as it relates to depressive symptoms, with the relationship between caregiver cultural humility and depressive symptoms being insignificant after age 40. The graph below depicts the clear correlation between caregiver cultural humility and depressive symptoms.

What are the implications?

Overall, the results of this study imply that primary caregivers of multiracial individuals can improve the multiracial individual’s mental well-being and racial identity by practicing cultural humility. By being supportive and affirming, caregivers of multiracial individuals can promote feelings of security and confidence in their racial identity. Additionally, the significance of age implies that young adulthood is a vulnerable time for multiracial individuals, and caregiver humility is especially influential during this time.

Franco, M., & McElroy-Heltzel, S. (2019). Let me choose: Primary caregiver cultural humility, racial identity, and mental health for multiracial people. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 66(3), 269–279. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000317