Developing a sense of belonging among biracial individuals: a case study exploring the social context

Abstract

AbstractPrevious research highlights that biracial people may struggle to fit into their racial groups due to their dual identities. However, much of this research focuses on identity development and a sense of belonging within an educational context. This study aimed to explore how biracial individuals experience a sense of belonging to their racial groups within a social context. Six biracial participants aged 18–27 participated in semi-structured online interviews to explore their experiences qualitatively. A thematic analysis was conducted and three themes were identified: immediate family guidance on being biracial, extended family impacts on feeling connected to racial groups, and language shapes feelings of inclusion or exclusion to racial groups. The findings suggest that immediate family can enhance a person’s sense of belonging. However, there were varied experiences regarding how extended family impacts sense of belonging. Language proficiency was an important factor to connect with people from the same racial backgrounds. Further research is needed to explore other factors such as religion and perceptions as they can impact feeling a sense of belonging.