Department of Psychology
The Psychology Department cordially invites you to the doctoral defense of Mariah Lutchman
Mothering While Black: Investigating the Relationship Between Vicarious Police Exposure Via Children, Health, and Racial Socialization Among Black Mothers
Black mothers in the U.S. carry the heavy burden of anticipating and experiencing police violence firsthand, as well as anticipating and preparing their children for racially biased policing. In my dissertation research, I examined the relationship between vicarious (or secondhand) police exposure via children (VPE-C) and maternal health. Additionally, I investigated whether police exposure racial socialization (PERS) served as a protective (primary hypothesis) or exacerbating factor (alternative hypothesis). Although racial socialization is widely recognized as a resilience practice, less is known about strategies tailored to police encounters. To address this gap, I conducted a two-part study. In the pilot study, I developed and validated a novel measure of police exposure racial socialization among Black mothers of adolescents (ages 10–19). In the main study, I used this measure to test whether racial socialization moderates the relationship between VPE-C and maternal health outcomes, including stress and sleep quality. Findings from the current research suggested that greater anticipated VPE-C was significantly associated with poorer sleep quality and higher stress. In addition, PERS exacerbated this link to poor sleep outcomes in Black mothers, a finding inconsistent with my primary hypothesis. Specifically, when PERS was high or moderate, the link between Black mothers’ anticipation of their child encountering negative police exposure within the next year and sleep was significant. When PERS was low, the relationship between anticipated VPE-C and sleep was not significant. My dissertation research advances theory and measurement of racial socialization while also further exploring its role in negative police interactions.
Advisor: Dr. Diana T. Sanchez
