Emotion regulation and coping with racial stressors among African Americans across the lifespan

Wilson, Tyia; Gentzler, Amy L.

doi:10.1016/j.dr.2021.100967

Cited by 32 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 141 publications

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“…For example, participants in the current study endorsed reappraisal and avoidant coping to be the most frequent techniques utilized in response to the pandemic, but endorsed avoidant and problem-solving as the most frequent techniques in response to racial discrimination and violence. Though both stressors present an uncontrollable nature that may elicit more avoidant coping tendencies in general, these results support the literature that racism is a unique stressor that may demand coping strategies specifically designed to mitigate the effects caused by racial trauma, such as feelings of oppression, threats, and hypervigilance (Soto et al, 2012;Wilson & Gentzler, 2021). Therefore, one might understand avoidance as a method of managing negative emotions that might arise from experience of racial trauma.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

“…Though this study does not conclusively demonstrate the potential positive outcomes of avoidance coping in response to racial trauma, it lends itself to further conversation on when and how avoidance might not be a detrimental coping style. In general, these results align with studies that suggest the relationship between avoidance and mental health is complex and might only be effective for certain populations, as coping strategies are often contextual and influenced by individual-level factors (Schuster et al, 2011;Soto et al, 2012;Wilson & Gentzler, 2021). Furthermore, the cross-sectional nature of this data limits our ability to analyze the long-term effects of avoidant coping in response to racial trauma.…”

Section: Limitations and Future Directionssupporting

confidence: 79%

“…With this model, coping strategies are deployed by either approaching the stressor (engagement/problem-focused) or by regulating the negative emotions that arise as a result (disengagement/emotion-focused). More specifically, engagement coping is broadly inclusive of problem-focused coping through which an individual actively attempts to change the situation to reduce or remove the stressor (Wilson & Gentzler, 2021). Disengagement coping includes emotion-focused strategies that are targeted to palliate negative emotions from stressful situations, like avoidant coping (Compas et al, 2001).…”

Section: Overview Of the Primary Models Of Copingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although engagement/problem-focused coping is often associated with positive mental health outcomes, coping strategies such as these may not apply or be effective in the context of race-based stress and trauma. Research has shown certain problem-focused, or engagement coping styles, like reappraisal, are less effective than avoidant coping styles like suppression in response to race-based trauma, discrimination, and stress (Wilson & Gentzler, 2021). Hoggard, Byrd, and Seller (2012) found that African American college students reported significantly less engagement coping and significantly more avoidance in racially stressful events compared to nonracially stressful events.…”

Section: Coping In the Context Of Race-based Traumamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, the cross-sectional nature of this data limits our ability to analyze the long-term effects of avoidant coping in response to racial trauma. Wilson and Gentzler (2021) posit that inhibitory regulation or emotional suppression may only be beneficial in short-term to ensure survival and adaptable lifestyles when experiencing racism but not in the long-term, which provides a counter to the concept that these coping strategies might be ineffective or maladaptive overall. White Hughto et al ( 2017) also postulates that avoidant coping strategies may be adaptive in preventing further physical and emotional consequences of victimization initially but might lead to poor mental health in the future.…”

Section: Limitations and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Avoidant Coping In Response To Racial Trauma Promotes Flourishing

Wu¹

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The past two years has seen significant global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter protests, and the STOP AAPI Hate movement, all of which have contributed to an increase in psychological distress and a need for effective coping in response.Avoidance coping, an emotion-focused coping style that relies on disengagement behaviors typically regarded as maladaptive, may be particularly helpful in mitigating negative mental health outcomes when responding to uncontrollable stressors like race-based discrimination and violence. As social media use during traumatic events and exposure to traumatic content have proven to be associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms and depression, avoidance through lower social media exposure may be a coping factor for decreased psychological distress. The study examined whether avoidance coping via distraction was associated with better mental health outcomes (measured by lower depression and greater flourishing), and if successful avoidance of stressful social media content also contributed to these outcomes when coping in response to experiences of racial discrimination and trauma. Students attending a large public university with a predominately female and ethnic minority population (N=151; Mean age = 23; 72% Latina/o/x or Asian American; 76% Female) completed an online survey, during 2021, that measured coping styles, mental health well-being, and social media use. Multiple regression analyses revealed that avoidance coping was significantly associated with higher flourishing.Bivariate correlations indicated that lower social media exposure to offensive content predicted lower depression scores. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of avoidance coping could be a potentially vital aspect in mitigating psychological distress from racial trauma. vi Preface and/or Acknowledgements I would like to formally thank Dr. Melissa Hagan for imparting wisdom, direction, and support throughout my thesis process. A special thank you to my fellow lab members in the STAR Lab for their time and effort in assisting with the CART study. Lastly, my utmost gratitude for my loved ones who consistently give me a safe place to land. vii Table of ContentsList of Tables .

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Limitations and Future Directionssupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: Overview Of the Primary Models Of Copingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Coping In the Context Of Race-based Traumamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Limitations and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Avoidant Coping In Response To Racial Trauma Promotes Flourishing

Wu¹

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Racial Discrimination and Risk for Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms Among Black Youths

Oshri,

Reck,

Carter

et al. 2024

JAMA Netw Open

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ImportanceRacial discrimination is a psychosocial stressor associated with youths’ risk for psychiatric symptoms. Scarce data exist on the moderating role of amygdalar activation patterns among Black youths in the US.ObjectiveTo investigate the association between racial discrimination and risk for psychopathology moderated by neuroaffective processing.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cohort study used longitudinal self-report and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from Black youth participants in the US from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Data were analyzed from January 2023 to May 2024.ExposuresAt time 1 of the current study (12 months after baseline), youths self-reported on their experiences of interpersonal racial discrimination and their feelings of marginalization. Amygdalar response was measured during an emotionally valenced task that included blocks of faces expressing either neutral or negative emotion.Main Outcomes and MeasuresAt 24 and 36 months after baseline, youths reported their internalizing (anxiety and depressive symptoms) and externalizing symptoms (aggression and rule-breaking symptoms).ResultsA total of 1596 youths were a mean (SD) age of 10.92 (0.63) years, and 803 were female (50.3%). Families in the study had a mean annual income range of $25 000 to $34 999. Two factors were derived from factor analysis: interpersonal racial discrimination and feelings of marginalization (FoM). Using structural equation modeling in a linear regression, standardized β coefficients were obtained. Neural response to faces expressing negative emotion within the right amygdala significantly moderated the association between FoM and changes in internalizing symptoms (β = −0.20; 95% CI, −0.32 to −0.07; P &lt; .001). The response to negative facial emotion within the right amygdala significantly moderated the association between FoM and changes in externalizing symptoms (β = 0.24; 95% CI, 0.04 to 0.43; P = .02). Left amygdala response to negative emotion significantly moderated the association between FoM and changes in externalizing symptoms (β = −0.16; 95% CI, −0.32 to −0.01; P = .04).Conclusions and RelevanceIn this cohort study of Black adolescents in the US, findings suggest that amygdala function in response to emotional stimuli can both protect and intensify the affective outcomes of feeling marginalized on risk for psychopathology, informing preventive interventions aimed at reducing the adverse effects of racism on internalizing and externalizing symptoms among Black youths.

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Psychological empowerment and future orientation among adolescents in a youth participatory action research program

Szoko

Dwarakanath

Miller

et al. 2022

Journal Community Psychology

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Youth participatory action research (YPAR) empowers youth to address challenges in their environment. Empowerment is associated with prosocial behaviors; however, understanding of how empowerment may serve as a protective factor and promote emotional health remains limited. We sought to characterize protective factors (future orientation and resilience) and emotional health (difficulties regulating emotion and psychological distress) among youth engaged in YPAR and examine associations with psychological empowerment. We administered cross‐sectional surveys to 63 youth in YPAR programming. Multivariable linear regression examined relationships between psychological empowerment, protective factors, and emotional health. Participants had high future orientation and resilience with high psychological distress. Empowerment was significantly associated with higher future orientation. There was no significant relationship between empowerment and measures of emotional health. We demonstrate the importance of evaluating protective factors and emotional health constructs in empowerment frameworks, calling for strategies that incorporate such protective factors and more directly address emotional health.

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Emotion regulation and coping with racial stressors among African Americans across the lifespan

Cited by 32 publications

References 141 publications

Avoidant Coping In Response To Racial Trauma Promotes Flourishing

Avoidant Coping In Response To Racial Trauma Promotes Flourishing

Racial Discrimination and Risk for Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms Among Black Youths

Psychological empowerment and future orientation among adolescents in a youth participatory action research program

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