Mental Health Services
Featured Lab Research
In addition to the overarching psychosocial consequences from exposure to racism, systems of racial inequality further burden families of color by shaping the quality of mental health care they receive when seeking therapeutic services. Even when youth of color can access mental health care, the quality of services is often lower than those received by White youth.
Our research explores and addresses factors that contribute to these disparities.
Learn more about our research on improving the provision of mental health services for youth and families of color:
LAB STUDIES
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PROJECT SUPPORT NET
Racial discrimination disproportionately impacts Black youth, increasing risk for poor mental health. Racial socialization (RS) is protective against the negative impacts of racial discrimination, yet research primarily focuses on parents as agents of RS messages. Project Support Net uses an egocentric social network approach to define Black youths’ support systems and identify multiple simultaneous sources of RS messages within these networks. We will look at the structure and quality of Black youths’ RS networks, as well as how these networks impact Black youths’ mental health in the context of racial discrimination.
Funding: MADRES Center for Environmental Health Disparities, NIMHD grant #P50MD015705
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PROJECT MORRENA
Co-PIs: Dr. Lillian Polanco-Roman & Dr. Henry Willis
Overview: Project Morrena (Measure Of Racial trauma in Racial-EthNic minoritized Adolescents): Scholars have highlighted the potential traumatizing effect of racism-related experiences in adults; yet, until recently, theoretical models of adverse childhood experiences have neglected stressors uniquely affecting racial and ethnic minoritized youth, such as experiences of racism. The goal of Project Morrena was to develop and validate the first measure of racism-based traumatic stress symptoms in racial and ethnic minoritized youth.
Status: Between 2021-2023, we recruited a national sample of over 1,000 12-17-year -old youth from diverse geographic regions across the United States. This project concluded in December 2023, and preparation of manuscripts and future grant submissions to extend this work is underway.
Funding: Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (SCCAP) Child Mental Health in Action Grant
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ONE TALK AT A TIME - ANTI-RACISM
Overview: Our lab is currently piloting an anti-racism parenting program for White parents of 10-14 year old youth. More to come!
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RAÍCES
Overview: The goal of this project is to further develop and test a parenting program that targets culturally-specific parenting practices in Latinx families. The goal is to support Latinx parents in developing skills to help their child manage racial stressors and develop a positive racial-ethnic identity, while also improving family relationships and promoting youth’s positive social and emotional development.
Funding Source: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
