Critical consciousness refers to an individual's awareness of oppressive systemic forces in society, a sense of efficacy to work against oppression, and engagement in individual or collective action ...against oppression. In the past few decades, interest in critical consciousness as a resource that may promote thriving in marginalized people has grown tremendously. This article critically examines the results of a systematic review of 67 studies of critical consciousness in children and adolescents, published between 1998 and 2019. Across these studies, major themes included the role of socialization experiences, relationships, and context in the development of critical consciousness. In addition, critical consciousness was associated with a number of adaptive developmental outcomes, including career-related, civic, social-emotional, and academic outcomes-especially for marginalized youth. However, our analysis highlights several critical gaps in the literature. We highlight the need for further delineation of the impacts of parent and peer socialization on critical consciousness in specific developmental periods and for studying critical consciousness at multiple levels of the ecological system. We further note the dearth of rigorous experimental or quasi-experimental studies in the area of interventions to promote critical consciousness. In addition, we note that developmental questions-questions about the nature and function of critical consciousness over time-are largely unanswered in the literature, including questions about how critical consciousness manifests and develops during childhood. Leveraging the findings of our systematic review, we outline key next steps for this rapidly growing area of research.
Public Significance Statement
Critical consciousness is a person's awareness of oppressive social systems, their sense that they and their communities can work to resist oppression, and their engagement in antioppressive action. This systematic review indicates that critical consciousness may promote thriving among adolescents experiencing marginalization based on their race, social class, income, gender, or other aspects of their identities. Adults such as teachers, parents, and mentors can help to promote critical consciousness in children and youth.
The recent sociopolitical climate necessitates psychology professionals advocating for their clients under a social justice framework. However, research on the prevalence of advocacy by psychology ...trainees and professionals for marginalized groups (e.g., people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual+ individuals, and unhoused individuals) and causes (e.g., police-community relations, and criminal justice reform) is sparse. Data for the present study were gathered as part of a larger research project conducted in 2018. A total of 165 participants began the survey, with only 104 completing all questions. The study aimed to understand psychology trainees' and professionals' attitude toward advocacy for others, frequency and type of advocacy behaviors that they engage in, and potential barriers to advocacy work. Results showed a large discrepancy between participants' highly self-reported beliefs in the importance of advocacy and low actual engagement in advocacy behaviors. Contrary to the original hypotheses, barriers to advocacy were not the most salient predictors of lack of engagement in advocacy; instead, it appears that a less positive attitude toward advocacy and conservative political affiliation may play more of an integral role. Implications for remedying this discrepancy among psychology trainees and professionals are discussed (e.g., training), as well as strengths and limitations of the present study.
Public Significance Statement
Psychology trainees and professionals endorse advocacy for marginalized groups as important, but infrequently engage in such behaviors. A less positive attitude toward advocacy and conservative political affiliation may play more of an integral role in predicting advocacy behavior.
Perceived discrimination has consistently been shown to be associated with diminished mental health, but the psychological processes underlying this link are less well understood. The present series ...of four studies assessed the role of a history traumatic events in generating a proliferation of discrimination stressors and threat appraisals, which in turn predict psychological distress (depressive and posttraumatic stress symptoms) (mediation model), or whether prior traumatic events sensitize group members, such that when they encounter discrimination, the link to stress-related symptoms is heightened (moderation model). Each of the studies assessed a different marginalized group in Canada, including Indigenous peoples, Blacks, Jews, and a diverse sample of women. Participants completed measures assessing history of traumatic events, perceived explicit and ambiguous discrimination, discrimination threat appraisals, and symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress. The four populations varied in their experiences, with Indigenous peoples encountering the highest levels of trauma, discrimination, and psychological distress symptoms. A mediated model was evident among Indigenous peoples and women, possibly reflecting the role of systemic processes that engender discrimination when traumatic events are experienced. There was evidence for a moderating role of a history of traumatic events on the relations between discrimination and depressive symptoms among Jewish and Black participants. Although the hypothesized synergistic effects of traumatic experiences were noted when assessing the relation between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms among Jews, the presence of trauma blunted these relations among Blacks. The results suggest that trauma-informed approaches to addressing stress-related processes and psychological outcomes need to consider the unique social context of members of various socially marginalized groups.
Previous research on pandemics and emergencies has shown that such events often widen health inequalities in society and have a greater impact on socially disadvantaged groups. No review has so far ...looked at the impact of inequality factors on mental health outcomes during the novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19). The aim of the current review was therefore to assess the impact of inequality factors on mental health outcomes during COVID-19. After registration on PROSPERO, a systematic review was conducted for papers published up to July 31, 2020, using the databases Google Scholar, PsycINFO, PubMed (MEDLINE), and Web of Science. The following inequality factors were considered: education, income, employment, occupation, material and social deprivation, age, immigrant status, sexual orientation, functional health, cultural/racial background, sex, gender, and place of residence. Out of 1,931 references, 117 studies (300,061 participants) were included. Female sex, being of a younger age, financial insecurity, lack of access to clear messaging/information about the pandemic, proximity to large infection sites, having existing physical and/or psychological health conditions, and being subjected to abuse/stigma because of one's identity as a member of an ethnic or sexual marginalized group predicted mental health inequalities. More research is required on how inequality affects mental health in less studied vulnerable populations, such as ethnic, sexual, and gender marginalized participants, as well as how inequality factors interact to affect mental health in the long term. Recommendations for researchers, mental health practitioners, and public health authorities for mitigating adverse mental health outcomes in vulnerable populations are outlined.
Public Significance Statement
The findings of this review suggest that several inequality factors, such as female sex, younger age, financial insecurity, having existing chronic health conditions, and being in an ethnic or sexual marginalized group predict worse mental health outcomes during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. There is an urgent need for mental health services to support vulnerable populations at this time, to reduce mental health inequalities and improve long-term psychological functioning.
Des recherches antérieures sur les pandémies et les urgences ont montré que de tels événements augmentent souvent les inégalités en matière de santé dans la société et ont une incidence plus grave sur les groupes socialement défavorisés. À ce jour, aucune étude n'a examiné l'incidence des facteurs d'inégalité sur les résultats en matière de santé mentale lors de l'épidémie du nouveau coronavirus (COVID-19). L'objectif de la présente étude était donc d'évaluer l'incidence des facteurs d'inégalité sur les résultats en matière de santé mentale pendant la COVID-19. Après inscription sur PROSPERO, un examen systématique a été effectué pour les articles publiés jusqu'au 31 juillet 2020, en utilisant les bases de données Google Scholar, PsycINFO, PubMed (MEDLINE) et Web of Science. Les facteurs d'inégalité suivants ont été pris en considération : éducation, revenu, emploi, profession, privation matérielle et sociale, âge, statut d'immigrant, orientation sexuelle, santé fonctionnelle, origine culturelle/raciale, sexe, genre et lieu de résidence. Sur 1 931 références, 117 études (300 061 participants) ont été incluses. Le sexe féminin, le jeune âge, l'insécurité financière, le manque d'accès à des messages/renseignements clairs sur la pandémie, la proximité d'importants sites d'infection, les conditions de santé physique et/ou psychologique existantes et le fait d'être victime d'abus/stigmatisation en raison de son identité en tant que membre d'un groupe ethnique ou sexuel marginalisé ont permis de prédire les inégalités en matière de santé mentale. Des recherches supplémentaires sont nécessaires sur la manière dont les inégalités affectent la santé mentale dans les populations vulnérables moins étudiées, telles que les participants marginalisés sur le plan ethnique, sexuel et sexospécifique, ainsi que sur la manière dont les facteurs d'inégalité interagissent pour affecter la santé mentale à long terme. Des recommandations sont formulées à l'intention des chercheurs, des praticiens de la santé mentale et des autorités de santé publique pour atténuer les effets néfastes sur la santé mentale des populations vulnérables.
Although self-imposed social isolation is an important way of reducing the risk of COVID-19 infection, previous research indicates that this behaviour varies substantially between different groups ...and individuals. Socially marginalized people are generally less involved in protective health behaviours, but there are few studies of their COVID-19 protective behaviours. The aims of the paper are therefore to: 1) compare self-imposed social isolation to avoid COVID-19 among socially marginalized groups, and to 2) examine factors influencing this, focusing especially on the role of social capital, risk awareness and sources of information about COVID-19. The study is based on survey data (N = 173) from people who are clients of social care organisations in Estonia, Norway, Hungary and Portugal. The sample involves clients living: a) in their homes, b) in facilities, and c) on the street or under temporary arrangements. Results indicate that the level of social isolation among the marginalized groups is comparable to that of the general population in previous studies. As hypothesized, we find that respondents living on the street or under temporary arrangements engage in less self-imposed social isolation than e.g. the respondents living in their homes. We also find lower levels of risk awareness, social capital and trust in authorities' information about COVID-19 among people living on the street or under temporary arrangements. Only linking social capital and trust in authorities' information was significantly related to respondents’ social isolation, and not worry for COVID-19 infection. Thus, it seems that respondents largely self-isolated because of “duty” and not worry for infection.
Sexual minority youth are at increased risk for negative health outcomes including substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and suicide. Researchers suggest that sexual orientation victimization is a ...predictor of such outcomes. Social connectedness—or the importance of belonging where youth perceive they are cared for and empowered within a given context—has been associated with positive youth outcomes. This qualitative study utilized life story methodology. Life stories are considered to be important expressions of one’s identity and are shaped by personal, social, and cultural contexts. Twenty-two interviews were conducted with 15 young people ranging in age from 14 to 22 years. Two focus groups with youth were also conducted. Youth were recruited from rural and urban communities in Massachusetts. This study contributes to the literature on resilience by including the voices of sexual minority youth and explores the meaning of social connection in their lives. Youth discuss the ways in which individual connection and group affiliation served to affirm one’s identity, and provided a forum for moving personal struggle to collective action. The findings suggest the need to reconceptualize consequences of disconnection (such as depression or suicide) from individual pathology and attend to these consequences as a response to discrimination and stigma. Implications for these findings and areas for future research are discussed.
People exposed to more unfavourable social circumstances are more vulnerable to poor mental health over their life course, in ways that are often determined by structural factors which generate and ...perpetuate intergenerational cycles of disadvantage and poor health. Addressing these challenges is an imperative matter of social justice. In this paper we provide a roadmap to address the social determinants that cause mental ill health. Relying as far as possible on high‐quality evidence, we first map out the literature that supports a causal link between social determinants and later mental health outcomes. Given the breadth of this topic, we focus on the most pervasive social determinants across the life course, and those that are common across major mental disorders. We draw primarily on the available evidence from the Global North, acknowledging that other global contexts will face both similar and unique sets of social determinants that will require equitable attention. Much of our evidence focuses on mental health in groups who are marginalized, and thus often exposed to a multitude of intersecting social risk factors. These groups include refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons, as well as ethnoracial minoritized groups; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) groups; and those living in poverty. We then introduce a preventive framework for conceptualizing the link between social determinants and mental health and disorder, which can guide much needed primary prevention strategies capable of reducing inequalities and improving population mental health. Following this, we provide a review of the evidence concerning candidate preventive strategies to intervene on social determinants of mental health. These interventions fall broadly within the scope of universal, selected and indicated primary prevention strategies, but we also briefly review important secondary and tertiary strategies to promote recovery in those with existing mental disorders. Finally, we provide seven key recommendations, framed around social justice, which constitute a roadmap for action in research, policy and public health. Adoption of these recommendations would provide an opportunity to advance efforts to intervene on modifiable social determinants that affect population mental health.
Early College High Schools (ECHS) partner with post-secondary institutions to award students, specifically those from historically marginalized groups, with significant transferrable college ...credit-tuition free-along with a high school diploma. Utilizing the frameworks of counterspace and counterstory, this study aimed to understand the perceptions of 13 women who identify as of Color and/or low-income, who graduated from an ECHS and are now in college or are recent college graduates, regarding their experiences attending an ECHS and their preparation for post-secondary success. Qualitative analyses indicated the ECHS served as an educational counterspace with a variety of "structural-cultural" elements that were imperative to the participants' transition to, engagement with, and success in college.
News coverage often uses stigmatizing language to label marginalized groups. Person-centered language has been discussed as a potential remedy, which this study tests for the first time. Using a ...between-subjects experiment with members of three marginalized groups ( n = 339), we investigate whether news articles that use person-centered terms (e.g., “person with substance use disorder”) instead of stigmatizing terms (e.g., “drug abuser”) improve attitudes towards journalism. Findings show person-centered terms increased the perception that one’s group was humanized in the news article and marginally increased trust in news. This study highlights the importance of journalists’ careful consideration of the labels they apply to marginalized groups. Although trust-building efforts cannot be limited to the use of person-centered terms, this research shows that the linguistic change is a step in the right direction.
Background: This study aimed to identify the associated factors
of self-harm and suicide ideation among Chinese Indonesians during the COVID-19
pandemic. Methods: A nonrandom sampling was performed ...through a
nationwide online survey in Indonesia (May-June 2021). The online survey
covered participants' demographic information, suicide literacy, suicide
stigma, loneliness, and self-harm and suicide ideation. A series of
t-tests, χ2 tests, and hierarchical
logistic regressions with the backward stepwise method were used to identify the
factors associated with self-harm and suicide ideation. Responses from a total
of 484 Chinese Indonesians were analyzed in this study.
Results: The predictive model showed a significant goodness
of fit to the observed data χ2(17) = 174.1,
p < .001;
RN2 = .41.
Chinese Indonesians with an average monthly income of ≥USD 843 were found
to be 0.23 times (95% CI = 0.07-0.99) less likely to experience
self-harm and suicide ideation than those who did not have an income. A
one-point increase in the intensity of suicide glorification and loneliness were
associated with 3.06 and 3.67 increase in the chance of experiencing self-harm
and suicide ideation, respectively. Conclusion: One third of
Chinese Indonesians self-reported self-harm and suicide ideation during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health and suicide prevention intervention programs
are recommended to target those with low socioeconomic status, high
glorification toward suicide, and high perceived loneliness.
Impact and Implications
The current study indicated that one third of Chinese Indonesians experienced
self-harm and suicide ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Monthly income,
suicide glorification, and levels of loneliness were found to be significantly
associated with this experience. Our findings will inform the development of
effective suicide prevention and intervention programs in line with the United
Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 regarding "Good Health and
Well-being," especially for reducing premature mortality from
noncommunicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promoting mental
health and well-being.
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