Development, construct validity, and measurement invariance of the Modified Classes of Racism Frequency of Racial Experiences Measure (M-CRFRE) to capture direct and indirect exposure to perceived racism-based police use of force for Black emerging adults

Prevalence and Correlates of Exposure (Direct and Indirect) to Perceived Racism-Based Police Violence among Black Emerging Adult College Students

A growing body of evidence makes plain that exposure to perceived racism-based events, particularly for Black emerging adults aged 18-29, represents a major public health concern in the United States given its widespread prevalence and documented association with adverse health outcomes. However, research on the prevalence and correlates of exposure to perceived racism-based police violence (RPV) for Black emerging adults is scant. The current study examines the prevalence and correlates of RPV exposure among a sample of 300 Black emerging adult college students, utilizing computer-assisted surveys. Univariate, bivariate, and multiple linear regression analyzes were conducted. We found moderately low rates for direct RPV exposure (Mean = 5.85) and moderately high rates (Mean = 10.4) for indirect exposure. Being younger and having incomes greater than $10,000 were significant predictors of direct RPV exposure, whereas being female and older were significant predictors of indirect RPV exposure. Our findings provide implications for future research and underscore the need for social work clinicians to include the RPV scales during their assessments for traumatic experiences.

The neurophysiological consequences of racism-related stressors in Black Americans

Racism-related stressors, from experiences of both implicit and explicit racial discrimination to systemic socioeconomic disadvantage, have a cumulative impact on Black Americans' health. The present narrative review synthesizes peripheral (neuroendocrine and inflammation markers), psychophysiological (heart-rate variability, skin conductance), and neuroimaging (structural and functional) findings that demonstrate unique associations with racism-related stress. Emerging evidence reveals how racism-related stressors contribute to differential physiological and neural responses and may have distinct impacts on regions involved with threat and social processing. Ultimately, the neurophysiological effects of racism-related stress may confer biological susceptibility to stress and trauma-related disorders. We note critical gaps in the literature on the neurophysiological impact of racism-related stress and outline additional research that is needed on the multifactorial interactions between racism and mental health. A clearer understanding of the interactions between racism-related stress, neurophysiology, and stress- and trauma-related disorders is critical for preventative efforts, biomarker discovery, and selection of effective clinical treatments for Black Americans.