Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-1-2022
Publication Title
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
Abstract
Critical consciousness has been linked to a range of positive outcomes, particularly among marginalized youth; yet, evidence on its developmental antecedents remains limited. The current study examines whether arts participation is associated with positive change in critical consciousness, and whether these associations differ by youth’s social group status. The sample consisted of high school youth (N = 2537; 10% Latinx, 7% Multiracial; 4% Black; 5% Asian; 72% White; 2% Other; 53% Female; Mage = 15.69; age range = 10–20). The results showed that youth with higher arts participation demonstrate higher growth in critical reflection and action, adjusting for baseline critical consciousness, other types of extracurricular participation, and demographic characteristics. The association between arts participation and critical action was significantly stronger for youth of color than for white youth, and the association between arts participation and critical reflection was marginally significantly stronger for white youth than for youth of color. These findings suggest that it is crucial to extend opportunities for arts involvement to all students, and to expand the ways in which arts involvement can promote critical consciousness for youth of varying dimensions of oppression and privilege.
Keywords
Arts participation, Critical consciousness, Extracurricular activities, Youth development
Volume
51
Issue
3
First Page
409
Last Page
427
DOI
10.1007/s10964-021-01527-8
ISSN
00472891
Recommended Citation
Ibrahim, Deanna A.; Godfrey, Erin B.; Cappella, Elise; and Burson, Esther, "The Art of Social Justice: Examining Arts Programming as a Context for Critical Consciousness Development Among Youth" (2022). Psychology: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/psy_facpubs/173
Comments
Peer reviewed accepted manuscript.