Congratulations to Visiting Assistant Professor Cjersti Jensen and collaborators who recently published an article titled “Examination of ethnic racial identity exploration and commitment in emerging adults: Group comparisons and specific features of multiracial identity” in Journal of American College Health!

Jensen, C., Koerten, H., Mattei, G., Weinandy, J. G., Froemming, M., Dulek, E., & Dworsky, D. (2021). Examination of ethnic racial identity exploration and commitment in emerging adults: Group comparisons and specific features of multiracial identity. Journal of American College Health, DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2021.1900197

To better understand differences in Monoracial White, Monoracial Minoritized, and Multiracial college students, 888 emerging adults were surveyed. Results indicated that Multiracial participants were significantly different than the other two groups in ethnic identity exploration and experienced discrimination (with Monoracial White participants showing the lowest levels, Monoracial Minoritized participants showing the highest). Multiracial participants did not differ significantly in ethnic identity commitment from Monoracial White participants, but both groups were significantly lower in commitment than Monoracial Minoritized participants. Because Multiracial college students are poorly represented in the literature, Jensen and her collaborators also explored some variables specific to having multiple racial identities. Multiracial participants’ ethnic identity commitment, a variable related to positive psychosocial outcomes in previous research, showed a significant positive relationship with both ethnic identity exploration and a negative relationship with conflict between identities. This research highlights the differences between Monoracial and Multiracial people, and makes a strong case for people working with Multiracial college students to consider their unique challenges and experiences.