Abstract: Neal-Barnett, Goar, Evans and Solomon
Examining the impact of systemic racism and COVID-19 on the well-being of Black college students at ¾ÅÓÎÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø
Angela Neal-Barnett, Ph.D., Psychological Sciences, ¾ÅÓÎÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø
Carla Goar, Ph.D., Sociology, ¾ÅÓÎÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø
Na’Tasha Evans, Ph.D., School of Health Sciences, ¾ÅÓÎÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø
Starr Solomon, Ph.D., Sociology, ¾ÅÓÎÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø
Black college students must simultaneously navigate the dual pandemics of systemic racism and COVID-19. Race-related stress exacerbates the impact of COVID-19 for Black students, making them more susceptible to heightened fear, anxiety, depression, and stress than their White peers. Systemic racism increases the risk of chronic health conditions associated with fear, anxiety, depression, and stress. Growing concerns surrounding police behavior may amplify the effects of systemic racism on mental health among Black students. The current study relies on a sample of Black and White ¾ÅÓÎÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø students to examine how COVID-19, racist events, racial discrimination, and perceptions of police behavior operate independently and interactively to predict psychological and physiological fear, anxiety, and stress.