AN EXAMINATION OF FACTORS PREDICTING PARTICIPATION IN INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS DURING ADOLESCENCE

Despite growing in numbers very quickly in the last half century, interracial marriage remains a disproportionately small segment of all marriages. Much research has been conducted investigating reasons for participation in interracial relationships, and the forces which impede those relationships. Using longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), I investigated several theories which had previously been researched using data of inferior quality, or only in the context of marriage relationships. I found that macrostructural and contact theories of race relations are supported strongly, and that multiracial identity has a very strong positive effect on the log odds of participation in an interracial relationship. More research is necessary to gain a full sociological understanding of interracial relationship participation as adolescents age and become young adults.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Campus Only Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Sociology

Year dc:date.available

2009

Author dc:creator

• Jantzer, Jacob Giles

Contributors dc:contributor

• Sherkat, Darren

• Add Health
• assortative mating
• interracial
• marriage
• multiracial
• partner selection

Repository record dc:identifier

https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations/104

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:opensiuc.lib.siu.edu:dissertations-1104