Depression in Black Boys Begins Earlier Than You Think

From 2001 to 2015, the suicide risk for Black boys between the ages of 5 and 11 was two to three times higher than that of White boys, according to a new research letter in JAMA Pediatrics (Bridge, 2018). This concerning trend continues through adolescence as reported by the Nationwide Youth Risk Behavior Survey (Kann et al., 2017). The rates of attempted suicide, including attempts that resulted in an injury, poisoning, or overdose, are 1.2x higher among Black males compared to White males.

The Mad and Unhappy Place of Public Education for Black and Brown Children in the United States

By Dawn X. Henderson, PhD (Assistant Professor of Psychology, Winston-Salem State University) Some of the lines in the classic 1982 song, Mad World, capture the lived experience of many black and brown children in the public school system in the United States. When people run in circles, it’s a very very mad world… Children waiting for […]

African American kids at the school gym

Our Invisible Youth: Addressing Disparities in the School-To-Prison Pipeline

This post continues our new blog series on poverty. As our nation reflects on its progress in fighting poverty over the last 50 years, this blog series will highlight how psychology can contribute further to this discussion. By Dawn X. Henderson, PhD (Assistant Professor, Winston-Salem State University) From Washington, DC and across the nation, numerous politicians, policymakers, […]