Navigating the First Racial Encounter: Qualitative Insights and Systemic Interventions for White Mothers and their Biracial Children

<title>Abstract</title> <p> This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study explored parental racial socialization in Black-White interracial families, investigating how White mothers prepared their children to navigate community racism. Twenty-four in-depth interviews were conducted across 8 families—first with the adult Black-White Biracial child (ages 18 to 42, <italic>M</italic> _age = 30; 4 male, 4 female), their White mother, and finally a family interview. Conventional content analysis (Hsieh &amp; Shannon, 2005) revealed significant communication gaps. Children rarely discussed their first racial encounters with their mothers. Furthermore, mothers' recollections of these early events often did not match their children's actual experiences. This study suggests that instead of preparing children proactively, White mothers often waited to address race reactively which can make it harder for children to develop a strong Biracial identity; this approach to parenting can negatively impact their mental health and well-being. These findings help us better understand the unique needs of interracial American families. Clinicians should consider the impact of racial differences and external societal factors on the daily experiences of interracial families, incorporating this into their clinical practice. </p>