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Research suggests that exposure to microaggressions diminishes cognitive resources. Using in vivo experimental methodology, we found that engagement in a breathing exercise may mask the effects of cognitive depletion in Black college women who are exposed to racial microaggressions. Sixty-one Black college women were randomly assigned to one of four conditions in which a microaggressive script and coping suggestion were crossed. Participants who were exposed to microaggressions enacted by a white research assistant and asked to wait were more depleted than those who were not exposed to microaggressions at all. Participants who heard the microaggressive language and were prompted to cope were marginally less depleted than those who were exposed without prompting to engage in a coping exercise. These findings align with prior findings that racially hostile university environments may have harmful consequences on the cognitive functioning of Black women, but engagement in coping may diminish these effects. Implications, limitations, and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research suggests that school psychologists are generally satisfied with their experiences in the field, scholars have yet to examine how exposure to racial microaggressions, or subtle race-based insults, may impact satisfaction. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relation between exposure to microaggressions and satisfaction among practicing school psychologists, students, and university faculty. We were particularly interested in the role of race. We collected survey data from 93 school psychologists, and found that exposure to microaggressions predicted reported satisfaction with jobs and placements, but that the relation was only relevant for People of Color (POC). We also found that the relation between microaggression exposure and satisfaction was moderated by the demographic of one's work setting, as POC in settings that were primarily Black and Brown reported less satisfaction when they experienced high levels of microaggressions. Future directions and implications for the field of school psychology are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated how engagement in activism among white women is predicted by their political efficacy, exposure to gendered microaggressions (i.e., verbal and/or nonverbal slights targeting a subordinate gender identity), and color-blind racial attitudes. We recruited 93 white undergraduate women for whom exposure to gendered microaggressions, color-blind racial attitudes, and political efficacy explained a significant proportion of variance in participants' ratings of political activism on social media, although these predictors did not significantly explain a proportion of the variance in their in-person political activism (e.g., rally attendance). We discuss how these findings relate to the current literature, as well as implications and future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Racial microaggressions are receiving growing attention in the research literature, as we know that they negatively impact People of Color. We explored the impact of a bystander to microaggression workshop that was implemented at a Predominantly White Institution. Participants were randomly assigned to the workshop condition or received a control intervention about ethics that did not address microaggression. We administered pre- and posttest surveys to assess knowledge and measures to assess color-blind attitudes and the degree to which participants felt such trainings are necessary. We found that the intervention was successful in improving participants' understanding of microaggressions and that higher endorsement of color-blind racial attitudes predicted less satisfaction with workshop, which was explained by interpretation of microaggressions unharmful. Implications and future directions for research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on microaggression has primarily focused on the experiences of adults, as researchers have yet to extensively examine the experiences of school-age children. The few studies that exist suggest that microaggressions are problematic well before young people reach college or the working world. The current study adds to the microaggression literature through an examination of the experiences of adolescents holding minoritized racial and sexual orientation identities at a Midwestern public high school. Participants in the study completed a survey that assessed their experiences with microaggressions, the degree to which they found them offensive, and their experiences with peers and school personnel. Results of the study suggest that these microaggressive exchanges are relevant for high school students and that individual differences exist in the way that adolescents notice and label microaggressive verbalizations as offensive. Future research directions are discussed, as well as implications for those working directly with students in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the relation between color-blind racial attitudes (i.e., the perspective that race should not and does not matter; Neville et al., 2007) and perceptions of microaggressions (i.e., identity-based insults) among students at Predominantly White Institutions, as the literature suggests that experiences with these transgressions may be heightened for Students of Color attending these universities. After completing survey items and being exposed to several vignettes, participants were asked to rate the degree to which they found the scenarios offensive or problematic. Results of the study suggest that individuals who hold stronger color-blind racial attitudes are less likely to perceive microaggressive situations as offensive. Implications for addressing microaggressions particularly among white students in higher education holding color-blind attitudes are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although University Counseling Centers continue to report increased rates of served students, those who hold marginalized identities continue to be underrepresented. Many factors may contribute to such discrepancies, including stigma, access, and trust in providers. College students across the nation have recently called for an increase in the number of professionals who identify as racially/ethnically diverse. The current article reviews one university's response to their own students' call for action, and particularly explores how the program was implemented and its associated costs and benefits. Considerations for other university administrators seeking to employ similar methods are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the demand for university counseling services continues to rise, students of color remain less likely to receive services as compared to their White counterparts. As part of the currently study, researchers gathered preliminary data surrounding the outreach efforts employed at a sampled university, where a psychologist was assigned to the university's cultural and resource offices. Undergraduate students of color at the university completed a questionnaire surrounding their experiences with the counseling center and their reactions to the new psychologist working within the cultural and resource offices. Results of the survey suggest positive results and may be beneficial for entities attempting to reach targeted populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has long been suggested that the words we use when describing treatments may affect treatment acceptability. However, previous research has focused largely on teachers or undergraduates, with mixed results. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how wording impacted the acceptability and understanding of a behavioral treatment described to parents of clinically referred children. Parents visiting an outpatient behavioral health clinic with their children were asked to watch a video description of a common behavioral intervention (time‐out) but were randomly assigned to one of three time‐out wording conditions: (a) technical terminology, (b) nontechnical terminology, or (c) popular terminology. Participants watched a video of a therapist describing time‐out and then completed a survey of treatment and therapist acceptability, as well as their comprehension of the procedure. Results indicate that the language used did not differentially affect parents' acceptability of the treatment or of the therapist. The language used did, however, affect parents' comprehension of the intervention. Results and implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]