Racial Trauma: The Impact Of Racism On Family Mental Health

Racism can impose many forms of stress on affected families, from the direct emotional effects of hostile encounters to the difficulties resulting from systemic injustice. As awareness of these challenges has become more widespread, researchers have increasingly sought to understand how they affect the mental health of those impacted. Experiences of bigotry and discrimination may have significant consequences for family stability and psychological well-being.

Racism can cause mental, financial, and physical stress that may stress familial bonds and harm the mental health of you or your loved ones. Institutional racism may diminish economic resources and expose individuals to environmental threats, while interpersonal discrimination can lead to anger, depression, and trauma. Strategies like supportive parenting styles and openness about the historical roots of racism may help a family remain resilient and find support. 

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Why does family matter in mental health? 

When some think about psychological health, they may consider the term primarily in symptoms, recovery, and resilience. However, the network of relationships within a family can also be a significant determining factor in a person’s physical and mental health, not only individual symptoms. 

The family environment is often one of the first places individuals practice their skills at navigating social interactions and relationships. This space may play a significant role in a person’s understanding of their identity and conception of life’s meaning and purpose. When family dynamics are positive, a person’s relatives may help them maintain emotional health in the face of life’s hardships, disappointments, and sorrows. 

How racism can affect mental health and family life

Racial discrimination can place a significant strain on a family’s emotions, mental burdens, and resources. Psychological studies have identified several specific ways racism can negatively influence familial well-being, including but not limited to the following. 

Decreased maternal mental health due to racial bias

Poor mental health in mothers has been repeatedly shown to be a risk factor for disrupted child development. Studies suggest that children whose mothers experience psychological symptoms like severe depression or anxiety are more likely to show delays in learning and socialization, experience performance and behavior problems at school, and have difficulties controlling their emotions.

Encountering bigotry based on race can be a distressing and discouraging experience that may pose a direct challenge to psychological health. A six-year study of families in the UK found that mothers who were subjected to frequent discriminatory interactions like racial insults, suspicion, and unfair treatment based on ethnicity exhibited diminished psychological health. In turn, their children displayed more frequent markers of social and emotional problems. 

In some cases, this effect may be partly due to harsher caregiving practices under stress. However, this phenomenon appears to be less common than indirect mental health effects, such as children experiencing distress in response to their parents’ anxiety and depression.

Institutional racism and childhood poverty

Racial disparities in wealth resulting from generations of discrimination can also exert effects on mental well-being. Evidence suggests that poverty is linked with significantly poorer psychological health for parents and children, with more extensive effects for more severe wealth disparity. 

Lack of wealth can lead to difficulties in obtaining material, educational, and social resources, which may affect child development, while causing worry and stress for parents. Impoverished families may also be forced to live in areas with higher crime rates, more pollution, and less exposure to nature, all of which may negatively impact well-being. 

Researchers have found that the results of early deprivation can follow an individual to adulthood. A study published in Health & Social Work found that adverse childhood experiences associated with poverty were linked with worse mental and physical health later in life. 

In addition, sociological evidence indicates that there are still significant disparities in wealth between racial groups in the US. A 2017 paper reported that Black and Latino individuals were roughly twice as likely as white individuals to experience poverty. As a result, individuals from these and other marginalized groups may be disproportionately affected by the detrimental effects of deprivation on mental health.

Poverty-driven familial instability

In addition to its direct effects on the mental resilience of family members, poverty may also pose obstacles to the stability of family relationships, such as the following: 

• Less time for common activities: Low-income parents often work multiple jobs or take shifts during evening hours, reducing their time with each other and their children.
• Parental conflict: Financial pressures may cause significant stress and prompt frequent disagreement and conflict between parents.
• Harsher parenting: Poverty-related stressors may also make parents more likely to use controlling, authoritarian disciplinary approaches, which can lead to defiance and behavioral challenges in children.
• Stressful environments: Conflicts among family members may be amplified when individuals live in overcrowded housing and chaotic neighborhoods due to a lack of economic options.

The higher incidence of poverty among racial minorities means that they may be disproportionately exposed to these familial stressors. 

Racial trauma and mental health

Numerous studies have shown that exposure to traumatic events at a young age can adversely affect mental health. Childhood trauma may increase a person’s risk for a wide range of adverse life outcomes, including behavioral problems, incarceration, unhealthy substance use, and psychiatric disorders. Social scientists have found evidence that exposure to trauma tends to be more frequent for non-white families, potentially leading to additional mental health risks.

In addition, experiencing race-based discrimination may itself be a form of trauma. Researchers have observed that greater exposure to bigoted attitudes and actions can lead to the development of symptoms similar to those seen in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially anger, depression, intrusive thoughts, and low self-esteem. These symptoms may result from the individual internalizing maladaptive attitudes and beliefs related to their racial identity.

Maintaining family well-being when encountering racism

If you and your loved ones are grappling with the effects of discrimination in day-to-day life, there are a few steps you may take to safeguard the mental health of you and your family, including the following. 

Practice a nurturing parenting style

Some studies have found that warm, supportive parenting may break the connection between racism and mental health symptoms in young people. While some parents in difficult circumstances may be tempted to employ harsh, controlling tactics to keep their children from delinquency, research suggests that this approach can backfire. 

An authoritative parenting style may be a more effective stance. This form of caregiving is marked by emotional openness and affection, combined with clearly defined and enforced expectations for behavior. Authoritative parents respond to rule-breaking with consistent consequences but not aggression and may attempt to communicate the reasons behind the rules they set for their children.

Talk openly about discrimination and injustice

Some parents may wish to minimize the discussion of racial discrimination with their children, fearing that it could reinforce ideas of difference and inequality. However, experts note that this strategy may leave young people confused and cause them to seek answers elsewhere, potentially absorbing discriminatory messages in the process. 

Instead, consider discussing racism in a matter-of-fact way that’s age-appropriate for your children. By highlighting the positive aspects of diversity and emphasizing the message that mistreating people based on race is wrong, you can help them learn healthy attitudes about race. 

Cultivate positivity about racial heritage

Emerging evidence suggests that the links between racism and health are driven in part by how discrimination can affect a young person’s self-esteem. Nurturing a positive view of an adolescent’s racial or ethnic background may help defend them against these adverse effects. 

If you, your children, or your partner come from a group that frequently faces racial intolerance, you may be able to help bolster a positive sense of identity in your children by: 

• Educating them about the history of their ancestors
• Showing appreciation for your cultural traditions and racial community
• Highlighting positive role models from similar backgrounds
• Discussing how your ethnic group has demonstrated resilience in the face of discrimination

Caring for your mental and physical health

Maintaining your well-being may ensure that you can continue to be an active, nurturing presence in your family’s life. Certain positive lifestyle behaviors can reduce the risk of psychological illness and poor physical health outcomes, including self-care activities like:

• Sticking to a healthy sleep schedule
• Getting regular physical exercise
• Reducing alcohol, tobacco, and drug use
• Eating nutritious foods 

Talking to a therapist may also be helpful, allowing you to express your challenges with someone trained in mental health topics. 

Address racial trauma productively with professional guidance

Find a qualified therapist

Support options 

Working with a psychotherapist to address the effects of racism on your mental health is one way you may avoid developing symptoms that could negatively impact your loved ones. If you’re unsure how to find a mental health professional who can speak to your specific concerns, seeking help online through a platform like BetterHelp might be more reachable. 

Internet therapy platforms can make it more manageable to match with a therapist with the personal and professional experience you seek. When you sign up, you can specify if you want to match with a BIPOC therapist. In addition, you can utilize resources like weekly support groups to find groups you relate to. 

Web-based therapies have accumulated substantial evidence for their effectiveness. A 2019 paper reviewing existing effectiveness studies concluded that online treatments “demonstrated efficacy in treating anxiety and depression,” both on their own or when present alongside other disorders. Talking with a therapist may help you process your experiences of racial discrimination and work toward mental health.