Cultural Racism and Depression in Black Adolescents: Examining Racial Socialization and Racial Identity as Moderators

• Published in: Journal of research on adolescence Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 41 - 48
• Main Authors: Gibson, Stephen M., Bouldin, Briana M., Stokes, McKenzie N., Lozada, Fantasy T., Hope, Elan C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.03.2022
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Alertness; Black people; Blacks; cultural racism; Depression; Discrimination; Effects; Humans; Identity formation; Mental depression; Moderators; Parents; Race relations; Racial attitudes; Racial identity; Racial socialization; Racism; Self esteem; Socialization; Teenagers; depression; cultural racism; racial socialization; racial identity
• ISSN: 1050-8392; 1532-7795
• DOI: 10.1111/jora.12698

The current study explored parental racial socialization and racial regard as moderators of the effects of cultural racism on depression symptoms among Black adolescents (N = 604, Mage = 15.44). When adolescents reported lower private regard and lower cultural pride messages or higher public regard and lower alertness to discrimination messages, the negative effects of cultural racism on depression symptoms were exacerbated. When adolescents reported higher private regard and more cultural pride messages, the negative effects of cultural racism on depression symptoms were attenuated. Findings suggest that racial messages transmitted to Black adolescents combined with their own racial attitudes can alter the effect of cultural racism on depression symptoms.