Does social support moderate the relationship between racial discrimination and aggression among Latinx adolescents? A longitudinal study

Abstract

Introduction: This study examined the relationship between racial discrimination by peers and aggression (i.e., self-reported and peer-nominated relational aggression and physical aggression) across one year through the moderation of social support from parents, friends, and teachers.

Methods: Participants were 606 Latinx adolescents from the United States (60% girls; M = 14.36, SD = 0.46). They completed self-report questionnaires on their perceived racial discrimination by peers, and self-reported and peer-nominated relational and physical aggression.

Results & conclusions: Racial discrimination by peers was negatively associated with social support from parents, friends, and teachers, as well as positively related to all forms of Time 2 (1 year) self-reported and peer-nominated relational aggression and physical aggression. Social support from parents, friends, and teachers were negatively related to all forms of Time 2 aggressive behaviors. Increases in social support from parents, friends, and teachers weakened the positive association between racial discrimination by peers and Time 2 self-reported and peer-nominated relational aggression, while lower levels of social support strengthened this association. There were no significant moderating effects of social support from parents, social support, and close friends found for Time 2 self-reported and peer-nominated physical aggression. These findings indicate that high social support from parents, friends, and teachers impacts Latinx adolescents reduces the impact of racial discrimination by peers on adolescents' relational aggression.

Keywords: Adolescent; Aggression; Latinx; Physical aggression; Racial discrimination; Relational aggression.