Daily multidimensional racial discrimination among Black U.S. American adolescents

A Luta Continua1: Next Steps for Racism Research Among Black American Youth

“…A longstanding issue in developmental science is relying on self‐report measures of racism, which can result in low base rates. Research using daily diaries has accurately assessed the frequency of racial discrimination experiences because some studies of Black American youth have reported two to five experiences of racial discrimination per day (English et al, 2020; Seaton & Douglass, 2014). These estimates are far higher than frequency estimates based on self‐report surveys, suggesting that low base rates may be a methodological artifact rather than reflecting actual experiences among Black American youth.…”

“…Research using self‐report surveys suggests low base rates or infrequency of these experiences (see Smith‐Bynum, Lambert, English, & Ialongo, 2014). However, in recent empirical research using daily diaries, Black American adolescents reported between two and five experiences of racial discrimination per day (English et al, 2020; Seaton & Douglass, 2014). What is the impact of experiences of racial discrimination?…”

Trajectories of Online Racial Discrimination and Psychological Functioning Among African American and Latino Adolescents

“…Finally, beyond identifying which groups may be more vulnerable and at what developmental period, we examine both individual and vicarious trajectories. To date, although multiple sources of discrimination (peer vs. adult) have been explored, most studies examine discrimination as a unidimensional construct, with exceptions that include Hughes et al (2016) who examines both overt and covert forms and English et al (2020) who studies teasing along with both individual and vicarious discrimination experiences and microaggressions. This gap in the literature is important to fill given the differences in associations with psychological functioning by type of ORD (Tynes et al, 2008;Umaña-Taylor et al, 2015).…”

Racial discrimination and ethnic racial identity in adolescence as modulators of HPA axis activity

“…Racial discrimination, defined here as unfair treatment attributed to one's race (Benner & Graham, 2013), is a powerful stressor that is relatively understudied in the developmental literature on early adversity. Racial discrimination takes a variety of forms, including: systemic and institutional racism, such as unfair laws, policies and treatment in housing, work, and academic environments; overt racism, such as verbal, psychological, or physical abuse based on race; racial microaggressions (more subtle and commonplace racial slights and insults), and racial teasing (Benner & Graham, 2013; English et al, 2020; Levy, Heissel, Richeson, & Adam, 2016; Pager, Bonikowski, & Western, 2009; Pager & Shepherd, 2008; Sue et al, 2007). Racial discrimination events occur both in person and in online environments, and may be experienced either directly or vicariously, through witnessing or hearing about discrimination experiences of others of the same race or ethnicity (English et al, 2020).…”

“…Discrimination by teachers and peers is also much more commonly reported by Black adolescents when compared to their white peers (Adam et al, 2015). In a recent study of Black adolescents living in the United States using a daily diary methodology, an average of five instances of racial discrimination experiences (either direct, or vicarious and both online and offline) were reported per day by Black youth (English et al, 2020), with online racial discrimination experiences being particularly common. Recent police-related killings of unarmed Black teens and adults have spurred national and international protests and civil unrest, bringing widespread societal and media attention to the pervasiveness and severity of racial discrimination experiences for individuals of color, and particularly for Black Americans.…”