Reference: Roberts, T. S. (2023). African Americans and Activism: Exploring the Impact on Psychological Well - Being. Journal for Social Action in Counseling & Psychology , 15 (1), 14 – 31. https://doi.org/10.33043/JSACP.15.1.14 - 31 African Americans face unique challenges due to historical, social, and cultural contexts. Social justice and protest movements bring attention to the historical and ongoing trauma of racism. Racism impacts the overall mental health of African Americans. A psychologist investigated the relationship between psychological well - being and Post - Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as related to activism, self - identity as an activist, and length of activism. A community sample of nearly 300 African Americans complete d Scales on PTSD , Psychological Well - Being, and Activism. Results? African Americans who had higher levels of psychological well - being engaged in greater activism. Those who identified as activists had 4 times less PTSD symptoms. Older adults compared t o younger adults showed less PTSD symptoms and higher psychological well - being. African American females reported higher levels of psychological well - being compared to males. These findings emphasize the importance of considering age, sex, and duration of activist involvement as contributing factors in understanding variations in mental health. Let’s be supportive! Let’s strive to enhance the overall safety of African American activists. Let’s encourage all Americans to engage peacefully in having their voices heard and advocate for righting wrongs and helping our communities live well, be happy, and be productive.

Written by Kristin T. Harris, Ph.D.