Like parents, like children... this is not always the case! A longitudinal study on the family transmission of intergroup contact

During adolescence, opportunities for interethnic interactions can shape future attitudes toward diversity. However, it is unclear how family can influence adolescents' quality of contact in different life contexts. This study aims to fill this gap. A sample of 702 Italian adolescents (M-age=15.61, SDage=1.11, 48.58% girls) and their parents (615 mothers, M-age=48.45, SDage=4.34; 487 fathers, M-age=51.22, SDage=4.92) completed questionnaires at two time points. Cross-lagged models indicated that adolescents' intergroup contact at T1 was associated with mothers' contact over time, mainly in structured (i.e., school and work) contexts. No significant associations were found regarding fathers' intergroup contact and unstructured contexts. These results shed new light on the process of family transmission during adolescence, particularly regarding intergroup dynamics.