Racial justice activism, advocacy found to reduce depression, anxiety in some teens

Black and LatinX teenagers enrolled in an eight-week racial justice activism program reported fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, according to research presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, FL.

The research, “Our Voices Matter Pilot Study: A Racial Justice Activism Intervention to Reduce Depression in Adolescents,” will be presented during the conference at the Orange County Convention Center Sept. 27–Oct. 1.

The study followed seven Black and LatinX teens who engaged in 90-minute virtual sessions and learned about activism and social change through a critical examination of race and racism from February to April 2023. Participants reported a 38% reduction in reported depressive symptoms after four sessions and a 45% reduction by the end of the intervention.

“This research is groundbreaking because it demonstrates the transformative power that activism could have on the mental health of Black and Latinx youth,” said Billie Patterson, a UQ Ochsner medical student with the with the ARISE Health Lab. “The potential to harness advocacy efforts as a therapeutic tool is an exciting frontier for both health promotion and social justice.”

The authors observe that the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor ignited protests that drew over 15 million participants, underscoring activism as a unified response against racism. Structural racism and discrimination are well known contributors to chronic stress and health disparities, including conditions such as metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes.

The teens focused their efforts on the school-to-prison pipeline, delving into national and local contexts using primary sources. They devised social media campaigns raising awareness and prompting action concerning inadequate mental health resources in schools and the racial disparities present in school disciplinary procedures.

Participants completed baseline, mid-point, and post-intervention measures of depression and measures of intervention acceptability and adherence.

“The activism intervention we piloted resulted in clinically meaningful reductions in depressive symptoms and we observed an upward trend in measures of resilience,” said Nia Heard-Garris, MD, MBA, MSc, FAAP, lead researcher and pediatrician at Lurie Children’s and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“We learned that teens loved having a safe space and learning how to help their community,” Dr. Heard Garris said. “We also were excited to see that these teens continued to engage with advocacy long after the end of the pilot study.”