Andersen et al. (2021) published an article in this journal entitled "Racial Bias and Lethal Force Errors Among Canadian Police Officers," exploring the possible relationship between lethal force errors on a simulated police recertification shooting test, stress physiology, and suspect race (Black vs. White). Finding no association between Black-White Implicit Association Test (BW-IAT) scores and shooting errors in the test, they erroneously concluded that the BW-IAT lacks validity as a screening tool to assess racially biased use of force and thereby is not useful. This article reviews the methodological problems, biased assumptions, and errors in logic made by the authors, and discusses an informed approach to understanding racial bias and police violence. It also makes a call-to-action for antiracism approaches in academic publishing. Public Significance StatementThe Implicit Associations Test (IAT) has been used to identify implicit racial bias, and there have been some calls to use this tool as part of law enforcement screening and training to help reduce police violence against people of color. This article explicates conceptual and methodological flaws in a recent study that erroneously concluded the Black-White IAT was not an adequate predictor of police officer bias.

Purpose of Review The literature on racism and anxiety-related disorders, especially social anxiety, specific phobia, and generalized anxiety disorder, is notably lacking. This report aims to review recent evidence demonstrating the link between racial discrimination and various anxiety-related disorders. Recent Findings Anxiety-related disorders were the most significant mediator for daily discrimination and suicidal thoughts, above both depression and substance use. Further, studies showed that racial discrimination promotes posttraumatic stress and racial trauma among people of color. Systemic racism puts people of color at a higher risk for anxiety disorders than White people. Clinical case examples provide lived evidence of diverse racial and ethnic individuals suffering from anxiety-related disorders, with the development and worsening of symptoms due to racism and microaggressions. Summary There is a prominent need for recent research on anxiety-related disorders and racism. Recommendations for clinicians and future research directions are provided. These actions are required to address bias and mental health inequities and empower people of color.

No abstract

The term racial trauma is used to describe the cumulative distressing and traumatizing effects of racism in all of its forms, and it closely resembles the construct of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This investigation aims to increase our understanding of racial trauma by comparing the characteristics of those with a clinically-relevant diagnosis of racial trauma to those without, based on the findings of a clinical semi-structured interview and symptom checklist for assessing racial trauma, the University of Connecticut Racial Ethnic Stress and Trauma Survey (UnRESTS), administered to a diverse group of adults (N = 97). This paper extends prior work on racial trauma by examining the correlations between racial trauma and validated self-report measures of discriminatory distress, controlling for racialization. We examine the correlation between a clinically-relevant diagnosis of racial trauma and racial/ethnic identity. We also compare racism-related PTSD symptoms in those with and without racial trauma to inform clinical assessment. Finally, we examine the factor structure of racial trauma symptoms using the 24 items from the UnRESTS PTSD symptom checklist and compare these to current DSM-5 models. The structure of racial trauma symptoms differed from the DSM-5 4-factor model, as do other PTSD models in the research literature. Clinical and research implications are discussed.

No abstract

Children's early literacy experiences are critical, yet it remains unclear whether memories of early reading instruction continue to be associated with reading habits into adulthood. We examined the association between recollections of reading experiences and present‐day reading habits in an adult population. University students responded in writing to three open‐ended prompts asking about their memories of reading during early childhood, elementary school and high school. They also completed two questionnaires inquiring about reading enjoyment and frequency in elementary school and high school. For the concurrent measures of reading, participants described their current reading habits in an open‐ended prompt and completed an author recognition test. Results showed positive links between favourable memories of reading during elementary and high school years and present‐day reading habits. Conversely, unfavourable memories during high school were associated with unenthusiastic present‐day reading habits. We found that reading instruction in school forms long‐lasting memories, and these memories are linked in meaningful ways with print exposure during adulthood.

Organizational culture, policies, and procedures can prevent or promote sexual violence. Lensed through a case study of one woman police officer and her abuse, this paper examines the organizational issues surrounding sexual harassment and abuse in law enforcement and the impact on officers' psychological well-being. We review issues surrounding workplace discrimination that pose hurdles to reporting. We present concrete guidelines for promoting gender equity, workplace safety, and accountability for reports of sexual abuse and misconduct in law enforcement. This paper is a call-to-action and resource to improve practices for managing sexual harassment and abuse to improve safety of female officers.