Social-Developmental Perspective on Intergroup Attitudes towards Immigrants and Refugees in Childhood and Adolescence: A Roadmap from Theory to Practice for an Inclusive Society

The unprecedented rates of migration throughout the world have raised concerns about the social integration of immigrants and refugees due to possible experiences of prejudice, discrimination, and hostility from members of the host society. In this article, we review developmental and social theories and related research outlining children’s and adolescents’ intergroup attitudes towards immigrants and refugees. The discussion then moves to social agents that help shape children’s and adolescents’ attitudes regarding these relations. Theory-driven, empirically tested intervention studies that could potentially promote children’s and adolescents’ attitudes towards immigrants and refugees are discussed. We also address the limitations of current interventions, which were the starting points for this paper. Finally, we highlight important avenues for future research and make specific recommendations for practitioners and policy makers striving to promote harmonious intergroup relations across childhood and adolescence in social settings.