Experiences With Discrimination and Depression

Abstract

Racial discrimination has been negatively linked to mental health in African Americans, but less is known about how it may affect parents’ academic efficacy. This study examined the direct and indirect relationships between racial discrimination, depressive symptomatology, and academic efficacy in African American mothers. Seventy-six African American mothers were surveyed just before their children began first grade and again during the spring of first grade. Mothers reported on their experiences with racial discrimination, depressive symptomatology, and academic efficacy. Academic efficacy was operationalized in three different ways: the mother’s efficacy to help with homework, efficacy to help the child succeed in school, and her belief in her child’s efficacy to complete homework. Hierarchical regressions were conducted to investigate these relationships. Findings show that maternal depressive symptomatology mediates the relationship between racial discrimination and parental academic efficacy. The implications for assessing discrimination and depression as it relates to academic efficacy are discussed.