Racial Discrimination, Mental Health, and Parenting Among African American Mothers of Preschool-Aged Children

Abstract

Objective: Indirect exposure to racism experienced by a caregiver (ie, vicarious racism) is associated with poor outcomes for children, but mechanisms of vicarious racism transmission are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between experiences of racial discrimination and parenting among African American mothers and to identify psychological mediators and moderators of this relationship.

Method: African American mothers (N = 250) with young children (mean age = 3.7 years old) reported on perceived racial discrimination (Race-Related Events Scale), parenting (Parenting Stress Index, Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire), coping (Coping Strategies Index), and mental health (Stress Overload Scale, Beck Depression Inventory). Multivariable linear regression was used to examine associations between perceived racial discrimination and parenting and to test coping as a moderator of these relationships. Ordinary least-squares regression-based path analysis with bootstrapping was used to examine mediation by stress overload and depressive symptoms.

Results: At least one experience of racial discrimination was reported by 57% of women. Experiences of racial discrimination were associated with increased parenting stress (β = 0.69, p = .02), and this relationship was mediated by stress overload (95% CI [0.35, 1.09]) and depressive symptoms (95% CI [0.27, 1.18]). Racial discrimination was not associated with parenting styles, and coping strategies largely did not moderate the relationships examined.

Conclusion: Racial discrimination has harmful intergenerational effects on African American children and families. Systemic-level interventions are needed, including adoption of policies to promote racial justice and eliminate structural racism in the United States. Future research on coping strategies specific to racism-related stress is needed to inform approaches to intervention.

Keywords: coping; depression; maternal behavior; racism; stress.