Examination of ethnic racial identity exploration and commitment in emerging adults: Group comparisons and specific features of multiracial identity.

Objective: Building on existing literature on ethnic/racial identity in emerging adulthood, we compared between-group differences for Multiracial and Monoracial participants and relevant within-group relationships for Multiracial participants. Participants: Participants were college students (n = 888; 67% women; Mage = 21.7; SD = 5.58) categorized into three groups: Monoracial White (61%), Multiracial (17%), and Monoracial Minoritized (22%). Methods: Measures included ethnic racial identity (ERI) exploration and commitment, discrimination, and features of Multiracial identity. The survey was sent through campus email and completed electronically. Results: Monoracial Minoritized participants reported higher discrimination and ERI commitment and exploration than Multiracial and Monoracial White participants. Multiracial participants reported higher ERI exploration and discrimination than Monoracial White participants. Multiracial participants' ERI exploration and racial conflict explained ERI commitment in regression models. Conclusions: Multiracial individuals should be researched and intervened with differentially from other racial groups, with variables specific to their unique experiences.

Attitudes and Beliefs About the Acceptability and Justness of Peer Victimization of Lesbian and Gay University Students.

We evaluated the acceptability and justness of anti-lesbian and gay victimization among 473 undergraduates. Participants were assigned to one of four vignette conditions that described an individual being verbally victimized in a typical college setting. Each vignette varied by victim gender (male; female) and sexual orientation (lesbian/gay; heterosexual). Participants completed background questionnaires and a measure that assessed the acceptability of the actions described in the vignettes. Overall, victimization was rated as unacceptable regardless of the sexual orientation and gender of the victim. However, participants rated the victimization of lesbian and gay students as more harmful and unjust than victimization of heterosexual students. Although the acceptability of anti-lesbian and gay victimization was low, 3%-12% of participants rated anti-lesbian and gay victimization as slightly or completely acceptable and just. Given that victimization is associated with long-term negative outcomes, college administrators should consider interventions aimed at decreasing the acceptability of victimization among students.

Measuring personal loss among adults coping with serious mental illness.

Psychometric properties of a brief self-report measure of personal loss for adults coping with psychiatric disability are examined. The Personal Loss from Mental Illness Scale (PLMI) is a 20-item measure that assesses overall perceptions and four interrelated aspects of personal loss from mental illness. Using a sample of 158 adults with serious mental illness, the PLMI was found to have a meaningful factor structure, good internal consistency and high test-retest reliability. Construct validity is evidenced by positive correlations between personal loss scores, number of psychiatric hospitalizations, self-reports of loneliness, psychological symptoms, and problems with alcohol. PLMI scores were unrelated to scores on a personal growth measure and negatively correlated with scores on a positive well-being scale. Implications of the PLMI for research on coping, adaptation and recovery from serious mental illness are discussed.