White fragility and the interpretation of racism in Aboriginal youth contexts: intent versus impact in...

Racial microaggressions are subtle, everyday expressions that communicate derogatory or exclusionary messages toward members of marginalised racial groups and are associated with adverse psychological outcomes. Evaluations of racial microaggressions may vary according to how individuals define and interpret racism. This study examined whether white fragility was associated with how white Australian psychology students evaluated vignettes reflecting the experiences of Aboriginal teenagers, focusing on the extent to which participants considered actor intentions, target experiences, and perceived social acceptability.

White Australian psychology students (N = 130) completed a vignette-based survey assessing their racism evaluations, attributional focus (actor intentions, target experiences, and social acceptability), and white fragility.

Higher white fragility was associated with lower racism evaluations and, after demographic adjustment, modestly lower target focus. There was insufficient evidence for associations between white fragility and either actor focus or reliance on perceived social acceptability.

Higher white fragility may represent a barrier to recognising racially harmful behaviour. Findings regarding target focus provide preliminary support for attentional processes proposed by the Emotion Regulation Model of White Fragility. Implications for professional training in psychology are discussed, particularly for supporting the development of culturally safe and responsive practice when working with Aboriginal clients.