Parents’ Ethnic Racial Socialization Practices and Preschool-Aged Children’s Self-Esteem: A Qualitative Exploration

Little is known about how parents of preschool-aged children engage in conversations around race and ethnicity, and their perceptions of how these conversations influence children’s self-esteem. Parents ( N = 16) of children ages 3–5 were interviewed for 30–60 min about their perspectives on how ethnic racial socialization contributes to their child’s overall social-emotional development, including self-esteem. Most participants were women ( n = 13; 81%), White ( n = 9; 56%), followed by Black/African American ( n = 6; 38%), with an average age of 36.06 years (SD = 6.14). Interviews were coded using a hybrid approach; first, deductively, in which pre-determined codes were identified using preexisting theory on self-esteem, and then inductively, using thematic analysis. Results revealed the following main themes: (1) Encouragement of racial pride, (2) Teaching about White privilege, (3) Providing a space for emotional resiliency, (4) Protecting against racial discrimination, and (5) Promoting social acceptance and inclusion. Themes differed for parents of children of color versus White children.