Interracial Friendship and Romance Among Adolescents

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (hereafter Add Health), a nationally representative sample of adolescents in grades seven through twelve in the United States in 1994-95, we investigate both the causes and consequences of friendship and romance between adolescents of different racial and ethnic groups. We plan to explore four specific questions: (1) How do adolescents' chances of having an interracial friendship or romantic relationship depend on the racial composition of their schools and other contextual factors? (2) How do adolescents' characteristics and social ties influence their chances of interracial contact? (3) How do interracial dyads compare to interracial dyads interns of investment, stability, reciprocity, and the realization of individual preferences? (4) Are the causes and consequences of interracial friendship similar to those of interethnic friendship? While we focus on interracial relationships, our research will also elucidate research on friendship and romance more generally. Our research also addresses adolescent well-being in general as these experiences shape a number of health-related outcomes (i.e., depression, self-esteem, substance use, and delinquent activities).