Objectives/Goals: Although parental ethnic-racial socialization (ERS) supports positive mental health outcomes, existing literature often treats Black identity as monolithic and rarely considers variation across ethnic backgrounds. This study examines differences in ERS messages shared by African American and Somali families. Methods/Study Population: Three dyadic focus groups were conducted between June and August 2025, including a total of 15 (8 Somali and 7 African American) parents and 14 (7 Somali and 7 African American) youth (N=29). Parents and youth participated in separate, semi-structured discussions guided by a parallel script covering five domains: identity and family, racial socialization messaging, context and frequency of conversations, the perceived usefulness of messages, and responses to racialized experiences. Sessions, which lasted 60 to 90 minutes, were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed in NVivo using a collaboratively developed codebook. Descriptive counts of message endorsement were also calculated to identify patterns in messaging across dyads. Results/Anticipated Results: Participants shared a complex understanding of race and racism, often acknowledging that race “shouldn’t matter, but does,” and describing discrimination as a normalized part of daily life. Parents emphasized that racist moments require a response, while youth described a range of reactions, including anticipation, humor, resistance, and disengagement, often adapting strategies to specific contexts. Across dyads, anticipation emerged as a dominant coping mechanism, with youth preparing mentally and emotionally for potential racial bias. Social media and humor were commonly used for processing experiences, while parents often encouraged measured resistance or dialog over avoidance or physical confrontation. Discussion/Significance of Impact: This study, by examining differences in racial socialization messages across Black ethnic subgroups, can easily identify novel intervention routes that may have been overlooked. Existing racial socialization mental health programs can be expanded and adapted to incorporate the unique messaging or values identified by these different groups.
Karbeah et al. (Wed,) studied this question.