Ethnic identity is believed by some to function as a protective factor for ethnic minority youth, in particular African American youth. Although ethnic identity development is primarily the result of racial socialization practices, it may also be influenced by other contextual factors. Neighborhood factors, parent characteristics, parenting style, and bicultural competence may play pivotal roles in the ethnic identity development of African American youth. Exploratory factor analysis and path analysis were used to explore the influence of certain contextual factors on the ethnic identity content of study participants. The findings suggest that urban hassles negatively affect the content of ethnic identity but that this effect may be mediated by racial socialization. This research represents a continuing effort to explore the influence of contextual factors on the ethnic identity content of African American youth. By broadening the focus to include features of parents as well as of neighborhoods, a more complete understanding is provided.
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