Objectives: To examine whether heightened vigilance partially explains associations between police brutality, depressed mood, and generalized anxiety among Black adults. Method: We used data from the cross-sectional Survey of the Health of Urban Residents (SHUR) in the United States (N = 623). Controlling for sociodemographic and health characteristics, we regressed depressed mood and generalized anxiety on police brutality. To assess whether heightened vigilance mediates the relationship between police brutality and mental health, we computed the direct effects of police brutality and indirect effects (through heightened vigilance) on depression and anxiety. Results: Over half of the sample reported experiencing police brutality. Both police brutality and heightened vigilance were associated with depressed mood and generalized anxiety. Heightened vigilance explained 11% of the total effect of police brutality on depressed mood and 21% of the total effect of police brutality on generalized anxiety. Conclusions: Police brutality is associated with negative mental health outcomes among Black people. As clinicians work to provide assessment, diagnosis, and treatment services, they should be aware that Black patients might face increased risk for depression and anxiety because of heightened vigilance and police brutality. Addressing how to manage these kinds of stressors is important, as is building a society where hypervigilance is unnecessary for the survival of Black people. Advocating for broad policy actions to reimagine policing is important for the mental health of Black adults.

Male youths living in neighborhoods with concentrated disadvantage are exposed to high levels of violence, which increases the risk for violence victimization and perpetration and shapes identify formation. We explored male youths' conceptions of manhood, influences on manhood, and intersections with interpersonal violence in the context of a community-partnered sexual violence prevention study. Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with predominantly Black males, aged 14e19 years, participating in a gender-transformative sexual violence prevention study. We used an iterative coding process to identify developing themes around youths' definitions of manhood, influences on manhood, and intersections with racial identity and racism. Results: Participants outlined visions of manhood that included many traditionally masculine attributes and also offered nuance and subversion of traditional masculinity. Participants' definitions of manhood centered on themes of responsibility while also acknowledging the importance of emotional expression. Many participants described growing into manhood as a journey toward becoming a moral agent. Participants identified three predominant influences on their conceptions and experiences of manhood: (1) family and community connections; (2) interpersonal and structural racism; and (3) racial pride. Family, particularly fathers and other father figures, emerged as invaluable in understanding manhood and navigating racial identities. Conclusions: These stories suggest that the process of entering manhood comes with unique challenges for adolescents who do so in the context of community violence and racism. Being mindful of intersections between masculinity and racial injustice can inform violence prevention programs that address the lived experiences of minority male youths in neighborhoods with concentrated disadvantage.

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