Book Description
The acting white accusation (AWA) is defined as being accused of exhibiting what is perceived by other Black youth as stereotypical "White" characteristics, . This may occur in areas such as school achievement, dress, speech, or socializing with certain peer groups. Adolescents accused of acting white may be rejected and ostracized by their peer group during adolescence--a time when the opinions of peers are particularly salient. Research suggests that the acting white accusation (AWA) creates distress for African American adolescents, and being accused of acting white may significantly impact adolescent's functioning. The goal of the current study is to evaluate the relationship between the acting white accusation, racial identity, and measures of psychological well-being. The current study examined the relationship between experiencing the AWA, racial identity, educational beliefs, and psychological well-being among 107 African American adolescents. Direct ("You are acting white") and indirect ("You dress preppy") accusations were examined. Results indicated significant differences with adolescents who directly and indirectly experienced the AWA reporting higher anxiety than those who only indirectly experienced the AWA. Adolescents who endorsed certain positive educational beliefs received the AWA more frequently. Regression analyses showed that educational beliefs predicted the amount of bother adolescents reported experiencing. The implications of these findings, as well as limitations and directions for future research are discussed.