UGA Center for Developmental Science’s Post

Racial battle fatigue - a term initially used to describe experiences of Black men in the United States but has since broadened to describe the collective experience of people of color. In spaces where discrimination and aggression hold sway, the effort to function has had adverse physiological and psychological effects on overall Black health. These effects include high blood pressure, disrupted sleep, stress, anxiety, and feelings of isolation and grief. It's time to recognize the toll of racial battle fatigue and work towards more inclusive work environments. #diversityandinclusion #racialbattlefatigue #inclusiveworkspaces

Hi everyone, I wanted to thank everyone who either participated or passed my research survey along to those eligible to participate. I'm happy to say I've completed my PhD program, and I'm waiting for approval to graduate in July. Again, I say thank you. Below is the abstract from my study titled: Racial Stressors, Resiliency, and African American Women Counselors  Abstract African American women therapists are the second largest group of counseling providers, with many displaying behavioral health symptoms differently than other cultures. This quantitative correlational cross-sectional study explored the resiliency of African American women counselors related to racial-specific stressors inclusive of self-identity, COVID-19 anxiety, and daily discrimination. Initially, three research questions were selected to investigate the relationship between demographic factors (age, education level, active years as a counselor), racial-specific stressors (self-identity, COVID-19 pandemic anxiety, and everyday discrimination), and resiliency in 112 African American women counselors. Emails and an online survey were sent to collect data to answer the research hypotheses. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to process the data, which showed no statistically significant relationships between racial stressors, demographics, and resiliency. However, post-data analysis prompted two additional research questions as many African American women counselors’ level of anxiety due to COVID-19 and their resiliency, and daily discrimination and society’s viewpoint about a person being Black showed negative relationships. African American counselors indicated some form of public discrimination. The implication for positive social change includes the expanded cultural understanding of racial-specific stressors and resiliency, which enhances professional and peer discussions, self-care initiatives, and training program design.

𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 Black Americans experience racial discrimination on a regular basis, and it is a cause of chronic and pervasive stress. It is known to contribute to elevated risk for poor mental health outcomes, but most research has focused on individuals. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looks at the interpersonal effects of discrimination on parents and their adolescent children. The paper, "The Dyadic Effects of Racial Discrimination: Using Latent Class Analysis to Explore Patterns of Racial Discrimination Among Black Parent–Adolescent Dyads," is published in Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. https://lnkd.in/ganHTPht

After a recent health scare I have been thinking about biological age vs. chronological age a lot recently. The adage "Black don't crack" is deeply embedded in the Black community, often celebrated as a badge of honor, a testament to our resilience, beauty and melanin infused realities . However, this saying can and has masked a more insidious reality: the impact of systemic racism on our health and well-being. This study by Courtney Boen highlights how the experiences of Black Americans, including racialized poverty, discrimination, and major life events, contribute to a biological aging gap of about nine years compared to white Americans of the same age. This "weathering effect," as it's called, reveals the toll that a lifetime of adversity takes on our bodies, minds and soul. This study is an excellent reminder that our outward appearance may not reflect our internal health. While we may look young, our bodies may be aging faster due to the stressors we face daily. This is not about genetics, but about the social and economic factors that shape and impact our lives. To address these disparities, we must tackle the root causes. Closing the wealth gap between Black and white Americans is crucial. Economic stability not only reduces stress but also opens up opportunities for better healthcare and overall well-being. Policies that support financial stability, such as those implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, can have long-lasting effects on our health. By investing in interventions that address the economic inequities faced by Black communities, we can improve not just our lifespan but also our quality of life. So, How do we rewrite the narrative? Let's celebrate our resilience while acknowledging the challenges we face. Lets build bridges and solidarity between ourselves as Black People. Lets create buffers against the ontological wounds and existential scars we face on a daily basis. Let's work towards a future where the phrase "Black don't crack" not only reflects our youthful appearance but also our ability to thrive, free from the burdens of systemic racism. Thank you Rohan Thompson for sharing this piece. #healthequity #blackheathmatters #edipractice #lndont #ldnont

These days, talking about systemic #racism is a lighting rod. So you might want to take cover, because while Juneteenth is a time to celebrate the end of a shameful period in the United States, it should also be a time to reflect on the fact that racism and discrimination are still a serious problem facing our society. Some sobering facts: In 2023, 4 in 10 Black adults reported experiencing at least one type of discrimination in daily life, according a large survey by KFF. These experiences include receiving poorer service than others at restaurants or stores, people acting as if they are afraid of them, people acting as if they are not smart, and being threatened or harassed. 6 in 10 Black adults say they prepare for possible insults from medical providers or staff and/or feel they must be very careful about their appearance to be treated fairly during health care visits. The median white family has roughly TEN times as much wealth as the typical Black family. Black people are 2.5 times as likely to be in poverty as white people. Black men are almost twice as likely as white men to be unemployed. Although the population is increasingly diverse, racial segregation in U.S. schools is higher now than it has been in decades. Majority-minority schools continue to be underfunded and fail to provide adequate educational opportunities to minority students. Poor conditions in these schools–such as “missing or unqualified teachers, physically dangerous facilities, and inadequate books and materials” correlate with lower student performance and low literacy rates, hampering young Black Americans’ ability to participate equally in democratic society. Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives including education about bias, statutory and policy changes, and sustained attention by elected officials and senior leadership in the private sector are all badly needed. #DEI #Juneteenth #equality

The analyses showed that adverse social and economic exposures and stressors across the lifespan were linked to faster biological aging. The results indicate that because of historical legacies of racism and current racial inequality, Black study participants had greater lifetime exposure to economic hardship and stress. As a consequence, Black study participants had an average biological age at least nine years older than white participants. “An individual’s aging process has multiple influences over the life course that can accelerate or slow biological aging,” Boen said. “These influences include social and economic status, education, and environmental exposures. Racial aging disparities are not inherent biological differences but reflect the cumulative impacts of multiple social factors such as childhood poverty, job discrimination, living in places with poorer air and water quality, and wealth inequities.” The results support the weathering hypothesis, which contends that the repeated exposure to racism that Black people experience over time “gets under the skin” and physically damages the body. Continual activation of fight or flight hormones from early life through older adulthood acts as a “thousand cuts” that affect a person’s health over the life course. https://lnkd.in/eYi6qzmN

One of our missions is giving voice to our experinces.

Ms. Baker, Ms. Tazi, and Professor Haney-Caron asserts "This paper is informed by the perspective that youth waiving their rights without the presence of an attorney is always harmful. Due to a wealth of factors discussed in detail in subsequent sections, adolescents are not equipped to make complex legal decisions--especially those that relinquish their rights--without guidance. Although there may be an incredible minority of cases in which youth can act in their own best interest in the absence of counsel, we believe that, at the very least, advice and guidance from an attorney are crucial during youth interrogation. It is important to note that some of the concerns related to youth Miranda practices also extend to emerging adults. Although we focus this paper on adolescents due to the additional vulnerabilities they face during interrogation simply due to their young age, other researchers are strongly encouraged to advance research and scholarship on emerging and young adults. Additionally, literature regarding persons of color and Miranda practices is limited. Of the work that does exist, most has focused on Black or Latine Americans, but overwhelmingly more on the former. For non-Black youth of color, virtually no theories or research exist about how race and racial bias may impact the Miranda process. Importantly, we acknowledge the focus on Black Americans as crucial given systemic bias against Black Americans in the legal system (e.g., Nellis, 2016) and acknowledge the relative dearth of information regarding other groups as problematic. Despite this limitation, racially and ethnically based injustices likely impact all persons of color (Black and non-Black).

Black Disabled people have to deal with negative stereotypes and cultural assumptions regarding employment from their own communities and the disability movement, as well as the wider society. Negative views of disability perpetuated by the medical model of disability have been used as a vehicle to enforce racism in the lives of Black Disabled people... There have been calls for more intersectional research within the disability literature, combining ethnicity and gender studies. Despite the increase in demand for intersectional analysis, there is insufficient literature on the experiences of Black Disabled To read & download the full Literature Review click 👉 The Diverse Creative CIC Lead Researcher: Tumi Sotire A massive thank you to BLACK THRIVE for giving us the opportunity to highlight this topic and giving us the space to be as authentic as possible : ) Authors Dawn + Derrick of Armstrong Cameron Designed and illustrated by 46 Design Email: hello@thediversecreative.org #entrepreneurship #BusinessOwners #diverseentrepreneurs #diversityandinclusion #Entrepreneurs #disabled #disabledentrepreneur #inspire #mindset #business #NYAE2023 #neurodiversity #longtermhealthconditions #motivation #businessprogram #creativity #Dyslexia #Dyspraxia #education #Dyscalculia #Diversecreative #TDC #ADHD #socialenterprise #VirtualLearning #LongtermSickness #training #learning #disabilityawareness

Dear Colleagues and Community Members, I am excited to share the front and back covers (attached) and the description (below) of my forthcoming book "From the Enlightenment to Black Lives Matter: Tracing the Impacts of Racial Trauma in Black Communities from the Colonial Era to the Present".   The book will be published on November 25, 2024.   ‘Ingrid Waldron has done something truly remarkable: authored a definitive exploration of the effects of racism on Black mental health.’ - Jonathan M. Metzl, Author of What We’ve Become: Living and Dying in a Country of Arms Since the Age of Enlightenment, Black bodies have been sites of trauma. Drawing on anti-colonial theory, From the Enlightenment to Black Lives Matter interrogates how this has shaped understandings of Black life, Black trauma and Black responses to trauma within psychiatry and other mental health professions. Focusing on the impact of racism on the mental health of Black communities in Canada, the UK, and the US, author Ingrid R.G. Waldron examines the structural inequities that have contributed to the legacy of racial trauma in Black communities. Drawing on existing literature, as well as the voices of Black Canadians who participated in recent studies conducted by the author, Waldron uses an intersectional analysis to pinpoint how the intersections of race, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age and citizenship status shape experiences of racial trauma, mental illness and help-seeking in Black communities. Tracing the ideological representations of Black people within psychiatric and other mental health institutions that influence the diagnoses applied to them, chapters also highlight the beliefs and perceptions Black communities hold about mental health and help-seeking. A timely challenge to the colonial and imperial legacy of psychiatry, From the Enlightenment to Black Lives Matter demonstrates how the politics of race and psychiatric diagnosis collide when diagnosing Black people and what this means for our current public health crisis.   Ingrid R.G. Waldron is Professor and HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global Peace and Social Justice Program in the Department of History, Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University.