Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-27-2025
Keywords
adolescents, parenting, attitudes, prejudice, minority, human agency, bias
Abstract
Introduction Guided by attachment, social cognitive, and ecological systems theories, this study examined the direct and indirect effects of perceived parent-adolescent relationship quality on youths' conscious bias toward individuals facing socioeconomic or minority-related challenges.Methods Data were collected from 702 U.S. 18-year-olds via Qualtrics online panels. Measures included parent relationship quality, negative affect, human agency, and conscious bias (disregard for minority experiences and blaming attitudes).Results The findings revealed that strong parent-teen bonds indirectly influenced conscious bias through psychosocial wellbeing. However, while negative emotions were universally influential, the impact of human agency varied depending on gender and race/ethnicity.Discussion Study findings underscore the necessity for a more comprehensive understanding of human agency as personal empowerment, considering gendered socialization practices and cultural nuances across different racial/ethnic groups. Additionally, there is an important need to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into parental education initiatives.
Citation
Terrell A, Merten MJ and Wickrama T (2025) Perceived parental relationship quality and adolescent conscious bias: important links between affect, agency, gender, and race/ethnicity. Front. Psychol. 16:1644117. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1644117
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Comments
Web of Science
frontiers