SOCIAL STUDIES

SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT

INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE

CANDIDATE NAMES: KYRAN T.M RAMDATH, ANURADHA

SAMLAL, CHRISTIAN O’NEIL

NAME OF SCHOOL: IERE HIGH SCHOOL

CENTER #: 160029

CANDIDATE #:1600290628, 1600290733, 1600290520

TEACHER: MRS.RAMJIT
 Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................................3

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM...........................................................................................................4

REASON FOR RESEARCH..............................................................................................................5

METHODOLOGY..............................................................................................................................6

INSTRUMENT USED TO COLLECT DATA.................................................................................7

PRESENTATION OF DATA...........................................................................................................13

ANALYSIS OF DATA......................................................................................................................16

STATEMENT OF FINDINGS.........................................................................................................18

RECOMMENDATION AND IMPLEMENTATION.....................................................................19

BIBLIOGRAPHY..............................................................................................................................20

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

With sincere gratitude, I want to acknowledge all those who would have helped in the
successful completion of this study. Firstly, I want to thank God for guiding me through this
school-based assessment. Furthermore, I want to thank our Social Studies teacher for her
support and enthusiasm. Finally, we would like to acknowledge the residents of the
Penal/Debe area for sharing their insights as well as all those who played a part in the
completion of this school-based assessment.

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 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The views of parents and teenagers on the topic ‘interracial marriages’

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 REASON FOR RESEARCH

The overarching purpose of the study is to assess the views of parents and teenagers on the
topic of interracial marriages. However, we also seek to explore and understand the
prevailing attitude in the community on interracial marriages, examine the differences
between adult and teenage perspectives as well as identify key factors shaping these views.
This topic was chosen because interracial marriages remains a societal issue reflecting a
broader theme of diversity, acceptance and cultural integration. Understanding this highlights
societal progress or reveals lingering biases.

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 METHODOLOGY

To investigate the views of parents and teenagers on the topic interracial marriages in
Penal/Debe, we have chosen to use online questionnaire method. Residents of the Penal/Debe
area were selected randomly to avoid bias. Online question offers a multitude of advantages,
these include, easy access to persons through platforms like WhatsApp (Mailpro). Online
services are also cost effective as well as time effective. This is because they eliminate the
cost of printing and the time needed for in-person surveys (TGM Research). Online surveys
also allow participants to remain anonymous and guarantees confidentiality, as participant’s
names are not attached. A total of 75 questionnaires were distributed and 50 was answered
and submitted. The selection of who received questionnaires were random, with ages ranging
from 13 years through 51 years and over. There was a total of 3 open-ended questions and 16
close-ended questions.

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 INSTRUMENT USED TO COLLECT DATA

COPY OF QUESTIONNAIRE

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 PRESENTATION OF DATA

75 questionnaires where distributed to the residence of the Penal/Debe area, out of which 50
was returned. Of these responses, 75% were female and 25% were male.

FIGURE 1: A pie chart showing the age range of all participants in the questionnaire.

AGE GROUP
36-50 years; 14; 28%

51+ years, 3, 6%

20-35 years; 14; 28%

13-19 years; 19; 38%

13-19 years 20-35 years 36-50 years 51+ years

From the figure above, it can be seen that 38% of participants were aged 13–19, 28% were 20–35,
another 28% were 36–50, and 6% were 51 and older.

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FIGURE 2: A bar graph showing participants’ attitude toward interracial marriages.

How would you describe your general at-

titude towards interracial marriages?
20 19
18 17
16
14 12
12
10
8
6
4 1 1
2
0
Very Supportive Supportive Neutral Unsupportive Very Unsupportive

From the figure above, it can be seen that 17 participants were very supportive of interracial
marriages, 19 were supportive, 12 were neutral, 1 was unsupportive, and 1 was very unsupportive.

FIGURE 3: A pictograph showing the main sources of information influencing all participants’ views
on interracial marriages.

Which source of information has most

significantly shaped your own views on in-
terracial marriages?
Family Discussions

Community Leaders

Religious Teachings

Personal Relationships

Media

Educational Content

0 5 10 15 20 25

From the figure above, it can be seen that personal relationships (21) and media (20) had the most
influence on views about interracial marriages, followed by family discussions (20), religious
teachings (17), and education (11) and lastly community leaders (2).

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FIGURE 4: A bar graph showing if participants believe interracial marriages have a
positive impact on society.

Do you believe interracial marriages can

have a positive impact on society?
Strongly Agree 13

Agree 19

Neutral 14

Disagree 3

Strongly Disagree 1

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

From the figure above, it can be seen that 15% strongly believe interracial marriages positively impact
society, 19 agree, 14 are neutral, 3 disagree, and 1 strongly disagrees.

FIGURE 5: A table showing how all participants think children of interracial marriages are perceived
in their community.

How do you think children from

Interracial marriages are perceived in Count
your community.
Accepted 21
Neutral 22
Not Accepted 3
Not Sure 4
From the figure above, it can be seen that 21 participants believe children of interracial marriages are
accepted, 2 are neutral, 3 think they are not accepted, and 4 are unsure.

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 ANALYSIS OF DATA

Interracial marriages refers to a union between individuals from different racial or ethnic
backgrounds. In Trinidad and Tobago, where a multitude of racial and ethnic groups such as
Africans, East Indians and many others coexist, interracial marriages have become more
common as time progresses. Although being a multicultural society, societal attitudes
towards interracial marriages can vary based on generational, cultural and individual factors.
This study explores the views of parents and teenagers in the Penal/Debe region on interracial
marriages.

The data, which has been collected from 50 participants, has provided information, which
allows us to understand the prevailing attitudes towards interracial marriages in the
community. Participants were divided into four age groups 19 were 13-19 years old, 14 were
20-35 years old, 14 were 36-50 years old and 3 were 51 years and older. This age distribution
reveals a balanced representation of both younger and older individuals, allowing for accurate
compare and contrast of attitudes between teenagers and adults.

Figure 2 shows that majority (36 respondents) were supportive or very supportive of
interracial marriages, but 2 of the respondents were in opposition to that view. This allows us
to make the assumption that acceptance of interracial marriages is growing, particular among
the younger generation, who tend to have more liberal/progressive attitudes which are
influence by a number of factors. The results of this, align with other trends in Trinidad,
where the younger generations are more open and accepting to other persons especially as a
pertains to interracial relationships (Ramcharan, 2021).

Figure 3 illustrates the factors that shape views on interracial marriages. Personal
relationships was seen to be the most influential factor with 21 respondents indicating that
their personal experiences significantly shaped their views. Media and family discussions
were also key factors with 20 respondents each selecting these as influential. This shows that
direct experiences and the media has played a dominant role as compared to traditional

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structures and institutions like religion, as outlined in the book "Generational Attitudes
Towards Interracial Marriages in Trinidad"(Jones, 2022)

Figure 4 reflects that a majority of persons (32 out of the 50 respondents) believe that
interracial marriages have a positive impact on society. This gives the idea that many persons
believe that interracial marriages are something that fosters social integration and diversity.
Figure 5 highlights that 21 respondents believe that children from interracial marriages are
accepted in the area, but there is still some uncertainty with 22 respondents stating they were
neutral on the issue and a minority (3 respondents) saying that these children are not
accepted.

In summation, this study shows that the area has a generally positive view on interracial
marriages, with personal relationships, media and family discussions being the primary
factors influencing these attitudes. However, there is still lots of room for more integration
and a lot of room for growth especially in the full societal acceptance of children from
interracial marriages.

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 STATEMENT OF FINDINGS

 Both teenagers and parents in the Penal/Debe community are generally supportive of
interracial marriages with most responses expressing positive views with very little
opposition.

 There is no significance difference in the views of teenagers and adults; however,

with further analysis, it can be seen that teenagers are more influenced by media and
personal relationships as well as more supportive generally while adults rely more on
family discussions and tend to lean more neutral.

 Personal relationships, media, and family discussions are the primary factors
influencing views on interracial marriages in the Penal/Debe area.

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 RECOMMENDATION AND IMPLEMENTATION

After thorough analysis of the data collected, the following recommendations and
implementation strategy can be made:

1. Recommendation: Education of the community about the benefits of interracial

marriages as well as promoting diversity and empathy, through campaigns in schools
or other community spaces.

2. Recommendation: Promote intergenerational discussions on the issue. Facilitating

structured discussions between both teenagers and adults can help bridge the gap and
generational divide between both groups as well as promote more open-mindedness
across generations. This allows both groups to share views and opinion on the issue at
hand.

3. Implementation strategy: Partnership with schools, churches and other community

organization in order to create educational programs on interracial relationships and
cultural integration. By implementing this strategy, it leverages these trusted
institutions, which allows the initiative to be engaged with more persons. This ensures
that teenagers and parents are engaging in conversation and are educated on the topic.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Ramcharan, R. “Social Integration and the Role of Interracial Marriages in Trinidad.”

Trinidad and Tobago Journal of Social Studies, vol. 14, no. 3, 2021, pp. 45-59.

 Jones, Maria. “Generational Attitudes Toward Interracial Marriages in Trinidad.”

Caribbean Social Dynamics, vol. 8, no. 2, 2022, pp. 112-126.

 Ramsawak R. & Umraw R.R. (2010) Modules in Social Studies with SBA Guide
And CXC questions. Fourth Edition. Trinidad and Tobago: Caribbean
Educational Publisher.

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 APPENDIX

COPY OF QUESTIONNAIRE

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