AUTHOR=Terrell Amanda , Merten Michael J. , Wickrama Thulitha 

TITLE=Perceived parental relationship quality and adolescent conscious bias: important links between affect, agency, gender, and race/ethnicity

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1644117

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1644117

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=IntroductionGuided by attachment, social cognitive, and ecological systems theories, this study examined the direct and indirect effects of perceived parent-adolescent relationship quality on youths' conscious bias toward individuals facing socioeconomic or minority-related challenges.MethodsData were collected from 702 U.S. 18-year-olds via Qualtrics online panels. Measures included parent relationship quality, negative affect, human agency, and conscious bias (disregard for minority experiences and blaming attitudes).ResultsThe findings revealed that strong parent-teen bonds indirectly influenced conscious bias through psychosocial wellbeing. However, while negative emotions were universally influential, the impact of human agency varied depending on gender and race/ethnicity.DiscussionStudy findings underscore the necessity for a more comprehensive understanding of human agency as personal empowerment, considering gendered socialization practices and cultural nuances across different racial/ethnic groups. Additionally, there is an important need to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into parental education initiatives.