HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (9) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Caughy, M. O. Articles by Muntaner, C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Caughy, M. O. Articles by Muntaner, C. Related Collections Social Science Community Health Minority Children Mental Health African Americans/Blacks Other Race/Ethnicity Surveys

Margaret O'Brien Caughy, ScD, Patricia J. O'Campo, PhD and Carles Muntaner, MD, PhD

Margaret O’Brien Caughy is with the Houston School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Dallas. At the time of this research, Patricia J. O’Campo was with the Department of Population and Family Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md, and Carles Muntaner was with the Department of Family and Community Health, School of Nursing, and the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Margaret O’Brien Caughy, University of Texas School of Public Health, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390-9129 (email: margaret.caughy{at}utsouthwestern.edu).

Objectives. We examined the relationship between parents’ experiences of racism and children’s well-being and the influence of the residential neighborhood characteristics on this relationship.

Methods. African American families were recruited from Baltimore neighborhoods. Parental measures included racism experiences and coping. Neighborhood measures included demographic characteristics, social cohesion, and social climate. Children’s mental health was assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist. Analysis was performed with multilevel modeling.

Results. Parents who denied experiences of racism also reported higher rates of behavior problems among their preschool-aged children. For families living in neighborhoods characterized by fear of victimization, parents who actively coped with racism experiences by confronting the person involved or taking some sort of action in response to racism reported lower rates of anxiety and depression for their preschool-aged children.

Conclusions. Experiences of and responses to racism among African American parents have important effects on the well-being of their young children.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. M. Nettles, M. O. Caughy, and P. J. O'Campo School Adjustment in the Early Grades: Toward an Integrated Model of Neighborhood, Parental, and Child Processes Review of Educational Research, March 1, 2008; 78(1): 3 - 32. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M.-A. Suizzo, C. Robinson, and E. Pahlke African American Mothers' Socialization Beliefs and Goals With Young Children: Themes of History, Education, and Collective Independence Journal of Family Issues, March 1, 2008; 29(3): 287 - 316. [Abstract] [PDF]

				D. R. Brown, A. Hernandez, G. Saint-Jean, S. Evans, I. Tafari, L. G. Brewster, M. J. Celestin, C. Gomez-Estefan, F. Regalado, S. Akal, et al. A Participatory Action Research Pilot Study of Urban Health Disparities Using Rapid Assessment Response and Evaluation Am J Public Health, January 1, 2008; 98(1): 28 - 38. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Noh, V. Kaspar, and K.A.S. Wickrama Overt and Subtle Racial Discrimination and Mental Health: Preliminary Findings for Korean Immigrants Am J Public Health, July 1, 2007; 97(7): 1269 - 1274. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. C. Gee, J. Delva, and D. T. Takeuchi Relationships Between Self-Reported Unfair Treatment and Prescription Medication Use, Illicit Drug Use, and Alcohol Dependence Among Filipino Americans Am J Public Health, May 1, 2007; 97(5): 933 - 940. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. C. Gee, A. Ryan, D. J. Laflamme, and J. Holt Self-Reported Discrimination and Mental Health Status Among African Descendants, Mexican Americans, and Other Latinos in the New Hampshire REACH 2010 Initiative: The Added Dimension of Immigration Am J Public Health, October 1, 2006; 96(10): 1821 - 1828. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Paradies A systematic review of empirical research on self-reported racism and health Int. J. Epidemiol., August 1, 2006; 35(4): 888 - 901. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. C. Gee, J. Chen, M. S. Spencer, S. See, O. A. Kuester, D. Tran, and D. Takeuchi Social Support as a Buffer for Perceived Unfair Treatment Among Filipino Americans: Differences Between San Francisco and Honolulu Am J Public Health, April 1, 2006; 96(4): 677 - 684. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]