Biracial Emerging Adults’ Phenotype and Multiracial Pride Predicting Academic Achievement via Discrimination Experiences

Abstract

The current study examined how Biracial emerging adults’ phenotype and Multiracial pride were associated with racial discrimination and, in turn, GPA. Participants were 378 Biracial emerging adults. Results indicated that there were gender differences. Among women, Multiracial pride was a moderator: at low Multiracial pride, having a phenotype that most resembles a parent of color was associated with more discrimination, but phenotype did not predict discrimination for Biracial women with high Multiracial pride. Racial discrimination was, in turn, associated with lower GPA among women. Among Biracial men, there were no indirect effects; having a racially ambiguous phenotype directly predicted greater racial discrimination, having a phenotype that most resembles a parent of color directly predicted lower GPA, and Multiracial pride directly predicted higher GPA. Findings highlight the importance of considering how gender, phenotype, racial discrimination, and Multiracial pride jointly shape academic outcomes among Biracial emerging adults.