The Effects of Racism on the Development of Black Children

Abstract

Prior research suggests that racism adversely affects children by negatively impacting the environment surrounding them. This can include social support available to them, including parental relationships. Under conditions of stress, the diminished access to support may potentiate known impacts on mental health and socioemotional development. The overarching goal of this project is to discuss the ways in which racism may affect the development of black children. As an initial empirical test of my larger model, I relied on a state-wide self-report assessment to examine the relation between race and sex, familial support, and the experience of bullying on feelings of sadness or hopelessness. As expected, Black children, female children, and children experiencing bullying all expressed higher levels of sadness. In addition, among children who had experienced bullying, Black children experienced significantly lower levels of familial support. The discussion places the specific findings of the current study within the context of broader literature.

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