I Could Feel His Sadness and Disdain as He Told Me

A Qualitative Analysis of Black Women's Accounts of Vicarious Racism

Bibliographic Data

ID2363791
AuthorsC L Erving (0000-0001-5619-5482, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA, corresponding author), Tiffany R Williams (0000-0002-3114-7553, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, USA), Daniela Sánchez (0000-0001-9802-1907, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA), Alisa Hill (Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA)
Year2024
Volume67
Issue4-6
Pages222-241
Publication date2024-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociological Perspectives (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0731-1214 • E-ISSN: 1533-8673
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/07311214241264830
PMID40969193
OpenAlexW4401062947
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited54

Prior research suggests that vicarious (i.e., indirect or second-hand) racism is harmful to psychological health; moreover, the psychological impacts of vicarious racism may be especially distressing for Black women. Nevertheless, because much of the vicarious racism and mental health literature has been quantitative, the broader contexts in which vicarious racism occurs are poorly understood. Although qualitative literature has explored vicarious racism, it has focused on Black mothers and their children's experiences of racism. We build on both literatures to analyze vicarious racism accounts reported by Black women in early adulthood. Using data from 32 respondents, the study provides greater context for experiences of vicarious racism (e.g., who are the targets and perpetrators, settings in which vicarious racism occurred), reports what happens in the 'aftermath' of vicarious racism, and documents psycho-emotional responses that expand beyond traditional mental health indicators (e.g., major depression). Implications of findings for vicarious racism research are discussed

Anger · Mental health · Psychometrics of racism · Psychotherapist · Racism · Sadness · Sociology · Critical Race Theory in Education · Gender Studies · History · Migration, Health and Trauma · Psychology · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research · Social Psychology