Roles of Racial Ecologies on Black Adolescents’ Coping with Racism

Abstract

Drawing from Spencer’s phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory (PVEST), this study examines how Black adolescents navigate racism-related stress, ethnic-racial socialization, and critical reflection as racial ecologies, and their association with coping strategies. Additionally, we explore critical action, a unique coping strategy related to critical consciousness. Using latent profile analysis, data from 200 Black adolescents (Mage = 14.2 years) were analyzed, with racism, ethnic-racial socialization, and critical reflection as indicators. Profile differences in coping were also investigated. Four distinct profiles of Black teen racial ecologies were identified: (a) Positively Racially Socialized, Less Discriminated ( n = 88); (b) Racially Socialized, Discriminated, and Aware ( n = 47); (c) Racially Discriminated and Negatively Socialized ( n = 37); and (d) Low Racially Salient ( n = 28). These profiles exhibited differences in coping strategy endorsement. The findings highlight the importance of Black youth's racial ecologies in shaping their coping mechanisms and have implications for research and clinical practices.