Contemporary events, such as the change in the 2000 U.S. Census, highlight the need for a better understanding of political, social, and psychological ramifications of mixed-ancestry identity. To be able to monitor and serve the needs of mixed-ancestry youth, we need to be able to identify who is and is not a mixed-ancestry individual. Subsequently, we need to examine particular risk and protective factors relevant to mixed-ancestry youth. In this paper we review some of the recent literature on mixed-ancestry adolescents' social adjustment and the assessment of mixed ancestry and present theories of mixed-ancestry identity formation. We then present the results of a preliminary qualitative study of mixed-ancestry college students that illustrate some of the empirical findings and theoretical suppositions.

Projects: Adolescent Mixed-Ancestry Identity: A Measurement Pilot