Stress of caring for children: the role of perceived racism

Regardless of race, most mothers experience stress related to concerns about their children. African American mothers may experience the additional stress of their child (ren) experiencing racism. We describe the stress that African American women have about their children experiencing racism.

The Telephone-Administered Perceived Racism Scale (TPRS) was administered to 476 African American women ages 36 to 53 who were members of a prepaid health plan. The 8-item Concern for Children scale, 1 of the 5 TPRS scales, was completed by 382 women and assessed the level of concern women have about their children experiencing racism. The responses ranged from "not at all concerned" to "very concerned."

For 6 of the 8 items, more than 60% reported being "very concerned" for their children. Items of highest concern involved institutionalized racism with more than 70% reported being very concerned about their children being harmed or harassed by the police or getting stopped in a predominantly white neighborhood. Respondents were less concerned about their children being considered less attractive than their white counterparts and/or being excluded from social events, activities, or groups. Level of concern was not related to income or education. Unsurprisingly, respondents who reported high levels of perceived racism also reported greater concern for their child(ren).

These findings highlight an additional stressor related to childrearing in a "race-conscious" society. Future research on stress and African American women's health should include this additional stressor.