In Pursuit of Belonging: Acculturation, Perceived Discrimination, and Ethnic-Racial Identity among Latino Youths.

Guided by Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems framework and informed by the rejection-identification model, this study examined the relationship between acculturation, discrimination, and ethnic-racial identity (ERI) searching and affirmation among a sample of Latino youths (N = 830; mean age = 12.2 years). Results revealed that higher levels of acculturation were associated with lower levels of searching and affirmation. Furthermore, higher perceived discrimination was associated with higher affirmation, but unrelated to searching. Finally, perceived discrimination significantly attenuated the negative associations between acculturation and adolescents' ERI searching and affirmation. The article concludes with a discussion of practice implications.