Health and Behavior Risks of Adolescents with Mixed-Race Identity

OBJECTIVES: This study compared the health and risk status of adolescents who identify with 1 race with those identifying with more than 1 race. METHODS: Data are derived from self-reports of race, using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), which provides a large representative national sample of adolescents in grades 7 through 12. Respondents could report more than 1 race. RESULTS: Mixed-race adolescents showed higher risk when compared with single-race adolescents on general health questions, school experience, smoking and drinking, and other risk variables. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents who self-identify as more than 1 race are at higher health and behavior risks. The findings are compatible with interpreting the elevated risk of mixed race as associated with stress.