About me
Secondhand Exposure to Police Violence and its Relationship with Mental Health
Location: 62
Mentor: Dr. Simon Howard
Previous research has examined the relationship between vicarious racism and mental health (e.g. anxiety, depression, PTSD). Although existing research has examined this relationship, few have examined the frequency (as opposed to magnitude) of vicarious racism specifically relevant to police violence, and even fewer have examined how temporal distance (e.g. previous year versus lifetime exposure) predict mental health outcomes. To explore this relationship, Black participants (N = 228, Mage = 35.3) completed a survey assessing their exposure to vicarious racism via police violence across their past year and lifetime, and how this relates to anxiety and depression. Results indicated a positive relationship between vicarious exposure to police violence and anxiety and depression, whereas exposure to police violence increased, so did levels of anxiety and depression. Results suggest that experiences of vicarious racism via police violence can predict higher levels of anxiety and depression among Black Americans. Future directions and implications are discussed.
