Observed Dyadic Racial Socialization Disrupts the Association between Frequent Discriminatory Experiences and Emotional Reactivity among Black Adolescents

Understanding the underlying mechanisms by which racism degrades mental health and the factors that disrupt these mechanisms is paramount. Black adolescents (M[subscript age] = 15.5) and their mothers (M[subscript age] = 44) were observed discussing a hypothetical discriminatory situation and surveyed about their discriminatory experiences (N = 110). Results indicated that adolescents' submissive emotional reactivity (e.g., sadness, embarrassment) in direct response to discrimination, rather than dominant reactivity (e.g., anger, frustration), was the primary mechanism explaining the link between discrimination and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Maternal advocacy combined with high levels of dyadic warmth and emotion expression reduced girls' submissive reactivity, whereas a more directive "no-nonsense" advocacy approach reduced boys' submissive reactivity. Findings demonstrate how racial socialization can disrupt the pain of discrimination.