Perceptions of Mental Health and Exploring the Role of Social Activism Among African Americans Exposed to Media Coverage of Police Brutality and Protests

• Published in: Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities 2023-06, Vol.10 (3), p.1403-1413
• Main Authors: Alexander, Adam C., Waring, Joseph J. C., Noble, Bishop, Bradley, David, Olurotimi, Oluwakemi, Fronheiser, Jack, Sifat, Munjireen, Ehlke, Sarah J., Boozary, Laili Kharazi, McQuoid, Julia, Kendzor, Darla E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activism; African Americans; Anxiety; Black or African American; Cohort analysis; Coping; Demonstrations & protests; Emotional distress; Emotions; Epidemiology; Excessive force; Exposure; Floyd, George; Health disparities; Humans; Law Enforcement; Mass Media; Mass media effects; Media coverage; Mediation; Mediators; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental depression; Mental Health; Minority & ethnic groups; Moderation; Perceptions; Police; Police - psychology; Police brutality; Police community relations; Political Activism; Political participation; Politics; Post traumatic stress disorder; Psychological distress; Quality of Life Research; Racism; Social activism; Social Inequality; Social media; Social networks; Social Structure; Television; Terrorism; Victimization; Victims; Violence
• ISSN: 2197-3792; 2196-8837
• DOI: 10.1007/s40615-022-01326-2

This study explored the role of social activism in the association of exposure to media coverage of police brutality and protests with perceptions of mental health. Data for this study came from a sample of African Americans ( N  = 304) who responded to an online survey. Perceptions of mental health were assessed using a single item developed by the research team. Exposure to police brutality and protests was measured by asking how often they had seen or heard about African Americans being victims of police brutality and seen or heard about protests on television, social media, or other outlets. Participants were also asked about the extent to which these events caused them emotional distress. Social activism was assessed by asking participants if they had ever participated in political activities, such as calling their representative. Moderation and mediation analyses were conducted using linear regression. Moderation analyses showed that greater emotional distress from watching media coverage of police brutality and protests was associated with worse perceptions of mental health only when engagement in social activism was low. In contrast, mediation analyses indicated that greater frequency of and emotional distress from exposure to media coverage was indirectly associated with worse perceptions of mental health through increased engagement in social activism. Social activism may be an important method for coping with emotional distress from watching media coverage of police brutality and protests, but more research is needed to understand how African Americans might engage in social activism without adversely impacting mental health.