The importance of race and ethnicity: An exploration of New Zealand Pākehā, Māori, Samoan and Chinese adolescent identity

R identity (REI), or the significance and meaning of race and ethnicity to one’s self-concept (Sellers, Smith, Shelton, Rowley, & Chavous, 1998), represents a crucial component of adolescent development especially for indigenous and minority adolescents (Cross & Cross, 2008). Most research on the importance of race and ethnicity to identity has been conducted with adult African American populations (e.g., Sellers et al., 1998), however a growing body of work investigates how these constructs apply to diverse groups of adolescents (e.g., Houkamau & Sibley, 2010), although non-American populations, in particular, remain understudied. The present mixed method study explores REI among New Zealand Pākehā (New Zealanders of European/ British ancestry, hereafter referred to as Pākehā), Māori (Indigenous), Samoan and Chinese adolescents. Participants were asked to assess five aspects of REI and to elaborate on the nuances behind these self-assessments providing a qualitative window into the perceptions and challenges of REI among a diverse group of respondents. The importance of race and ethnicity: An exploration of New Zealand Pākehā, Māori, Samoan and Chinese adolescent identity