BACKGROUND The study of adolescent perceptions of their ethnicity/race has been investigated from an ethnic-racial identity (measurement) perspective or through an ethnic-racial classification lens. AIMS This study examines both, as it explores change in adolescents' ethnic-racial self-categorization; change in strength of ethnic-racial identity (ERI); and the relationship between change in self-categorization and strength of ERI. In so doing, it contributes to theorizing about the content and process of ERI formation. MATERIALS AND METHODS The longitudinal and mixed-methods study followed 732 middle and high school students biannually in a semi-rural, ethnically diverse school district. All students completed the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) in fall and spring each year and interviewed annually for qualitative inquiry. RESULTS The four waves of data demonstrated that: (1) 22% of students changed their ethnic-racial classification at least once; (2) Multiracial youth, boys, and 8th graders were significantly more likely to change self-classification compared to White youth, girls, and 10 th graders; (3) strength of ERI did not change over time, however, African American and Hispanic youth had the strongest ERI over time compared to the others; (4) change in self-classification was significantly related to change in strength of ERI, however, its direction varied by race of students. DISCUSSION While adolescent ethnic-racial identity development (ERI) appears to be related to ethnic-racial categorization, the direction of the relationship varies depending on ethnic self-categorization. CONCLUSION Results contribute to theory building of ERI in relation to: content and process, group consciousness, certainty and clarity, and public regard.

中文翻译：

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解构青少年种族：种族身份发展和自我分类的纵向分析。


背景 对青少年对其民族/种族的看法的研究是从民族-种族认同（测量）的角度或通过民族-种族分类的角度进行调查的。目的本研究对这两个问题进行了检验，因为它探讨了青少年种族自我分类的变化；民族认同强度的变化（ERI）；以及自我分类变化与 ERI 强度之间的关系。这样做有助于对 ERI 形成的内容和过程进行理论化。材料和方法 这项纵向和混合方法研究每两年对一个半农村、种族多元化学区的 732 名初中和高中学生进行跟踪。所有学生每年秋季和春季完成多群体种族认同测量（MEIM），并每年接受定性调查访谈。结果四波数据表明：（1）22%的学生至少改变过一次种族分类； (2) 与白人青少年、女孩和十年级学生相比，多种族青少年、男孩和八年级学生改变自我分类的可能性显着更大； (3) ERI的强度并没有随着时间的推移而改变，然而，与其他人相比，非裔美国人和西班牙裔青年的ERI随着时间的推移最强； (4)自我分类的变化与ERI强度的变化显着相关，但其方向因学生的种族而异。讨论 虽然青少年民族种族认同发展（ERI）似乎与民族种族分类有关，但这种关系的方向因民族自我分类而异。结论 结果有助于 ERI 在以下方面的理论构建：内容和过程、群体意识、确定性和清晰度以及公众关注。