Research

Descriptions of my latest research projects and findings appear below

Witnessing racial discrimination is linked to poor mental health

My paper (currently under review) found consistent links in the literature between witnessing discrimination and elevated risk for witness depression, anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, poor sleep, and behavioral disorders (e.g., substance use disorder)
My recent publication found that witnessing racial discrimination contributed to racial trauma symptoms beyond the effect of direct discrimination
Through funding from The Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, I am using qualitative methods to understand young adults' responses to witnessing racial discrimination online
I have two grant applications under review that aim to identify pathways - such as risk and protective factors - that connect witnessing discrimination to mental disorders

Our research uncovered that for college students experiencing suicide symptoms during the pandemic, treatment was lower than expected. Past treatment was the biggest predictor of future help-seeking intention
I observed a similar pattern in an older sample of young adults and identified structural (e.g., lack of funds) and attitude (e.g., thinking symptoms were not serious enough for treatment) barriers to help-seeking for suicide symptoms
We also found that sexual minority college students display higher help-seeking willingness than others, signaling a resilience factor
I am currently working on a project to understand how college students engage in different treatment and help-seeking behaviors together

I published a model of anti-racism development in White youth, which includes learning about racism and white privilege, feeling racial empathy, and engaging in behaviors that work against racism
In my paper currently under review, witnessing racism during the pandemic, high tolerance for distress, and being impacted by the social climate predicted more anti-racist behaviors in White young adults
I will be presenting my research about an anti-racism educational program for White families at the Society for Research in Child Development 2025 meeting