Developmental Trajectories of Friendship Homophily, Racial/Ethnic Identity Commitment, and Intergroup Bias Across Middle School

Although racial/ethnic homophily is a common feature of friendship networks, little is known about how preferences for same-race/ethnic friendships develop during early adolescence or how they are linked to the development of racial/ethnic identity and intergroup bias (attitudes favoring ingroups over outgroups). To address these gaps, the present study examined the longitudinal associations between baseline levels and trajectories of friendship homophily (same-race/ethnic preference), racial/ethnic identity commitment, and intergroup bias among early adolescents across the middle school years. Using a large racially/ethnically diverse sample (N = 4,576; M_age = 11.33 years at T1; 51% female; 41% Latinx, 26% White, 17% East/Southeast Asian, 16% African American/Black), findings from multivariate latent growth curve models indicated that friendship homophily and identity commitment trajectories were closely linked. Additionally, baseline homophily predicted greater identity commitment over time for racial/ethnic minoritized youth, but not White youth. In contrast, longitudinal associations between friendship homophily and intergroup bias were weak. Baseline friendship homophily did not predict intergroup bias trajectories; however, baseline levels of intergroup bias predicted increased homophily for racial/ethnic minoritized youth. Findings indicated that for racial/ethnic minoritized early adolescents, the development of friendship homophily is more closely linked to identity commitment than intergroup bias.