10/22/2020 Grand Rounds
The Impact of Discrimination on Mental Health and Implications for Diagnosis and Treatment of Racism-related Stress and Trauma
Speaker:
Juliette McClendon, PhDResearch Psychologist, Women’s Health Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD at VA BostonAssistant Professor of Psychiatry, BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine |
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Recent events surrounding the killing of unarmed Black people by police and the disproportionate burden of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 among people of Color has brought into stark relief the ongoing harmful effects of racism in the United States. Extensive research demonstrates that experiences of racism (e.g., discrimination, microaggressions, exposure to race-based violence) have deleterious impacts on the mental health and well-being of Black, Indigenous and people of Color (BIPOC), including increasing risk and severity of PTSD. Inadequate attention to the unique cultural experiences of BIPOC, as well as a history of maltreatment, abuse, and medical experimentation has contributed to mistrust, wariness, and avoidance of mental health care among these marginalized populations. Addressing this crisis requires continued attention, clinician education, and the development, dissemination and implementation of novel, culturally-responsive assessment and intervention strategies. This lecture addresses these gaps by describing: (1) Empirical evidence linking experiences of discrimination and racism to racial/ethnic disparities in mental health; (2) The current state of research on racism-related stress and trauma; and (3) The current state of research on evidence-based intervention approaches that may mitigate the impact of racism and discrimination on mental health. Learning Objectives:
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