School Ethnic Density and Mental Health Problems in Black, Latine, and White Preadolescent Children

Abstract

Objective: Previous studies suggest that school ethnic density is associated with less internalizing problems in Black and Latine adolescents in high school. Here, we assessed associations between school ethnic density and internalizing, externalizing, and thought problems in Black, Latine, and White preadolescent children (mean age = 9.9 years) in elementary school. We additionally examined whether associations differed by family generational status.

Method: We analyzed baseline data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study (n = 10, 076). We operationalized school ethnic density as a measure of racial and/or ethnic concordance. In models stratified by race and ethnicity, we used generalized estimating equation models to assess associations between proportions of school racial and/or ethnic concordance, and the internalizing, externalizing, and thought problem subscales of the Child Behavior Checklist. We subsequently adjusted for family and neighborhood socioeconomic factors and tested for interactions with family generational status.

Results: For Black children, a higher proportion of Black students at schools was associated with less internalizing (β = -1.11, 95% CI = -2.82, -0.13; p = .026) and thought problems (β = -0.47, 95% CI = -0.78, -0.06; p = .026). For Latine children, a higher proportion of Latine students was associated with less thought problems, but only among children from immigrant families (β = -0.65, 95% CI = -1.20, -0.09; p = .023). For White children, an initial association between a higher proportion of White students and less externalizing problems disappeared after controlling for socioeconomic factors.

Conclusion: This study showed evidence of protective associations between school ethnic density and mental health problems for Black children and Latine children from immigrant families.

Plain language summary: Using a dataset of over 11,000 children across the United States, this study examined how ethnic density in schools was associated with children's mental health. Ethnic density was measured as the proportion of students at schools who were of the same race and/or ethnicity as a given child. Black children and Latine children from immigrant families showed fewer internalizing problems and fewer thought problems when they attended schools with higher levels of school ethnic density. This suggests benefits to providing extra supports for minoritized students, preventing discrimination and other forms of interpersonal racism, and fostering inclusion and belonging through school-based programs.

Study preregistration information: Associations between School Ethnic Density and Psychopathology Symptoms among Black, Latine, and White Children in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study; https://osf.io/3rh74.

Keywords: ethnic density; immigrants; mental health; schools.