The Portrait Project: Content and Process of Identity Development Among Young Men of Color in East Oakland

Abstract

Identity is the key psychological task of adolescence, with lifelong implications on health and behavior. A holistic understanding of content and process of identity development among male adolescents and emerging adults of color may lead to more effective interventions to improve health outcomes. Men aged 18 to 24 years were recruited from a nonprofit serving predominantly low-income Black and Latino youth in Oakland, CA. This exploratory, multimethod study utilized self-portraiture, interviews, and a focus group. Procedures were approved by the University of California (UC), Berkeley Committee for Protection of Human Subjects (CPHS). Phenomenology and grounded theory principles facilitated a rich understanding of the lived experiences and meanings participants attributed to their identities. Participants used positively valenced language to describe multifaceted, intersectional identities. Despite identifying with stigmatized groups, participants were proud to be male, Black or Latino, and from Oakland. Cognitive processes and adaptive behaviors mediated the impact of environmental factors—including discrimination, family members, peers, and place—on identity development. Practitioners will benefit from recognizing the complex identities of boys and young men of color. Further research should explore the intersectional nature of identity, cumulative health effects of developing and maintaining positive identities despite pervasive discrimination, and role of positive youth development programming in positive identity formation.

Keywords

adolescence identity issues gender Latinos (U.S.)African Americans (U.S.)positive youth development

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