The sum of all parts: A multi-level exploration of racial and ethnic identity formation during emerging adulthood

by Stephanie A. Grilo, Mollie R. Semler, Stephanie Rameau

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the multiracial population measured at 33.8 million, nearly a 300% increase from the 2010 U.S. Census. The significant increase is due in part to improvements in measures to categorize this population. However, there is a dearth of research on the factors and processes that affect multiracial identity formation. The researchers investigated the precipitating factors to the formation of multiracial identification. Participants were recruited through social media campaigns. Hour-long in-depth interviews were conducted with 21 participants via Zoom, following an interview guide consisting of 9 categories: racial and ethnic identification, childhood and upbringing, family influence, peer engagement, health and wellbeing, experiences of discrimination, forming resilience, language, and demographics. Coding of transcripts and thematic analyses revealed that individual, interpersonal and community level influences influenced identity development differently depending on the individual’s positionality within the life course. This supported the use of both the life course framework as well as the social ecological framework when examining multiracial identity development.