Beyond prejudice reduction: Personal and civic effects of intergroup contact among marginalized youth in Northern Ireland

Abstract Intergroup contact reduces prejudice, but its potential to foster broader personal and societal change remains understudied. We address these gaps by examining a large‐scale peacebuilding intervention (PEACE4Youth) among marginalized youth in post‐conflict Northern Ireland. Using latent growth curve modeling across three waves, we demonstrate that increased intergroup contact is associated with improvements not only in youth's outgroup attitudes but also in their self‐esteem, leadership skills, and civic engagement. Youth with steeper contact gains showed the strongest growth across all domains, supporting intergroup contact as a mechanism for multidimensional change. While effects emerged across Catholic and Protestant youth, baseline differences underscore the role of pre‐existing disparities. These findings extend contact theory by empirically linking contact to personal and societal development, redefining it as a tool not only for harmony but also for empowering individuals to transform divided societies.