Highlights:
Two Australian studies have been published that explore the effects of racism on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) children’s social and emotional well-being.
Study 1
Using data of 1,060 ATSI children (aged 6 to 12 years) from The Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children, Macedo and colleagues (2019) aimed to explore the effect of racism on social-emotional wellbeing (SEWB) indicators at 1 to 2 years post-exposure.
Key findings included:
- “Exposure to racism was associated with…a 41% increased risk for total emotional and behavioural difficulties.”
- Younger children exposed to racism were at a higher risk for total emotional and behavioural difficulties.
- Older children exposed to racism were at a higher risk for hyperactive behaviour.
The researchers concluded that their findings demonstrate the need for supports that target the mental health and well-being of ATSI children. They also emphasise the need for additional research and policies that aim to decrease racism in Australia.
Read the full-text here
Study 2
This study, also by Macedo and colleagues (2019), explored the protective role of ethnic-racial identity (ERI) affirmation on the relationship between racism and ATSI children’s social and emotional well-being.
The researchers defined ethnic racial identity as a “multidimensional concept that…involves perceptions and attitudes about group belonging, exploration of cultural practices and behaviours, understanding of stereotypes held by in-group and out-group members, and the levels of commitment and attachment to one’s ethnic racial group” (p. 2 – 3).
Using data from 408 ATSI children (aged 7 to 12 years) from The Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children, the researchers found that:
- Just over half of the sample (around 51%) presented with a high level of ethnic racial identity affirmation.
- Those children who had low ERI affirmation and who were exposed to racism were at an increased risk of total emotional and behavioural difficulties, as well as hyperactive behaviour. The joint effects of low ERI affirmation and racism were greater than the sum of each of their individual effects.
The researchers suggest that strategies promoting ethnic-racial identity affirmation may hold promise for promoting the social-emotional wellbeing and resilience of ATSI children (p. 2).
Read the full-text here