“And That’s Why We’re Feelin’ the Blues:” Examining Associations among Internalized Racism, Watching TV, and Depression among African Americans

Abstract

The current study shows how internalized racism, time spent watching television, and exposure to depictions of Blacks/African Americans viewed on television might influence self-reported depression. Internalized racism is the acceptance of a racial hierarchy in which whites are consistently ranked above people of color (Campón & Carter, 2015). Few studies have focused on how internalized racism, exposure to stereotypical, negative images of Blacks/African Americans, and total time spent watching television affect Black/African American viewers’ mental health. This exploratory research aims to identify whether such a relationship exists. Qualtrics was employed to obtain and recruit an all-African American group of individuals who identified themselves as avid television users. Data from 627 African American adults reveal a significant link between internalized racism, exposure to images, and self-reported feelings of depression (p < .0000). Further exploration of these results and practical implications are also discussed.