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Race-Related Correlates of Young Adults' Subjective Well-Being

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Abstract

We investigated how often young adults worry about race relationsand whether they perceive that white/black relations have beendeteriorating. We also explored the relationships betweenrace-related worry and pessimism, and subjective well-being. This study addressed the distribution of race-related worry andpessimism, and their relationship to subjective well-being innational probability samples of high school seniors completingself-administered questionnaires in 1996 and 1997 (n = 4,514). Nearly one-third of high school seniors often worry about racerelations, and about 20% perceive that contemporary white/blackrelations have been getting at least a little worse. Worryingoften about race relations and perceiving that race relationshave been getting worse were significantly associated withdiminished levels of life satisfaction and happiness. Theresults confirm that race-related worry and pessimism werecommon, and that they impact youth's affective and cognitivestates.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, P.O. Box 1248, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48106-1248, U.S.A

    Tony N. Brown, John M. Wallace Jr. & David R. Williams

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  1. Tony N. Brown
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  2. John M. Wallace Jr.
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  3. David R. Williams
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Brown, T.N., Wallace, J.M. & Williams, D.R. Race-Related Correlates of Young Adults' Subjective Well-Being. Social Indicators Research 53, 97–116 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007190226538

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