UW study: Teen peer pressure is color blind

University of Washington researchers say mixed-race teens are not more likely to give in to peer pressure, try drugs and get involved in gangs than white kids.

That seems obvious, doesn’t it? Apparently not. New research from the UW and the University of Chicago disputes what experts previously thought about multiracial teens, the fastest growing youth group in the United States.

Researchers who studied a large sample of middle- and high-school students in Washington state found that mixed-race teens are more similar to their white counterparts than previously believed.

Youth who reported greater use of alcohol and instances of violent fights also reported having friends with similar problem behaviors.

But when asked how likely they would be to cave to peer pressure, there was no difference in the answers between multi- and single-race students.

The study suggests that prevention programs aimed to reduce the negative influences of peers will likely have a universal effect across adolescents.

About 1,800 seventh and ninth graders attending public and private schools completed a survey twice – one year apart – that included questions about violence, yielding to peer pressure, drug use, and whether their friends used drugs.

“People usually portray multiracial children as facing greater challenges growing up than single-race children. What we’re finding is that they do have an increased risk for problems with drugs and violence, but those problems aren’t as extensive as what has been found before,” says Yoonsun Choi, in a statement about the research. “Maybe there’s a trend going on, where problems are declining for multiracial youth.”

By LINDA THOMAS

AP file photo