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In a 1990 census sample of 7,808 biracial children with one Asian parent, 38.8% were identified as Asian, indicating that racial identification of these children is highly optional. Children's identification as Asian was related to awareness of cultural heritage (assimilation factors, parent educational level), as well as factors unique to various ethnic groups. Contains 39 references. (SV)

This article examines the socioeconomic and demographic correlates that are associated with whether biracial children with an Asian parent are racially identified with their Asian parent or with their non-Asian parent. With data extracted from the 5-percent Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) of the 1990 census, we take into account explanatory variables at three levels: the child's characteristics, the parents' characteristics, and the locale's racial composition. Our results indicate that the racial identification of biracial children with an Asian parent is to a large extent an arbitrary option within today's prevailing racial classification scheme. We find empirical evidence in support of the theoretical proposition that both assimilation and awareness of Asian heritage affect the racial identification of biracial children with an Asian parent., Asian Americans are the fastest-growing minority in the United States, and most of their growth is attributed to immigrants and their children (Barringer, Gardner & Levin 1993; Kitano & Daniels [...]