Relations between racial stress and critical consciousness for black adolescents

Abstract

Black adolescents may use critical consciousness to cope with stress from experiences of racism. In the current study (n = 594; Mage = 15.4), we used structural equation modeling to examine how stress from individual, institutional, and cultural racism may directly and indirectly relate to critical reflection, critical agency, and critical action for Black adolescents. Analyses indicated that individual and cultural racial stress were positively related to critical reflection and critical agency. Further, all three types of racism were directly related to critical action. Individual and cultural racial stress were also related to critical action indirectly through critical reflection – perceived inequality and critical agency. Altogether, these findings provide empirical evidence for how experiences of racism motivate critical consciousness development for Black adolescents. In efforts to bolster critical consciousness, practitioners may consider providing space and time for Black youth to discuss their own experiences of racism.