Racial discrimination continues to have profound and lasting effects on the mental health of Black individuals. Perseverative coping or the chronic and continuous contemplation about symptoms, causes, and consequences of distress represents an important, yet under-explored mechanism that may explain and exacerbate the deleterious consequences of racial discrimination. Drawing from recent and forthcoming work from Dr. Bernard, this presentation will highlight how perseverative coping can influence the discrimination-mental health link among Black youth and emerging adults. Additionally, this presentation will discuss the value of considering perseverative coping as a culturally relevant, malleable intervention target that can reduce negative mental health sequalae in the aftermath of racism-related experiences.

Dr. Donte Bernard’s program of research examines the direct and indirect pathways by which racism compromises the mental and behavioral health and well-being of Black children, adolescents, and emerging adults. Anchored by cultural ecological models recognizing the importance of risk and resilience at the individual and contextual level, his research leverages both quantitative and qualitative methods to identify how Black youth identify, cope with, and navigate racism-related experiences across sensitive developmental periods. Ultimately, the goal of his research is to eliminate racial disparities in mental and behavioral health through informing policy and intervention development targeting the reduction of racism and its related health consequences.

Myles Durkee hosts.

The Winter 2025 RCGD Seminar Series will feature speakers invited and hosted by faculty affiliated with the Research Center for Group Dynamics. These multidisciplinary talks will cover a variety of topics in social science, including social cognition, structural racism, romantic relationships, and cognitive health. Check the schedule for updates to this series that will convene on select Mondays at 3:30 at the Institute for Social Research.

These events are held Mondays from 3:30 to 5.
In person: ISR Thompson 1430, unless otherwise specified.
As permissions allow, seminars are later posted to our YouTube playlist.

The Group Dynamics Seminar series is considered one of the longest running seminar series in the social sciences. It has been running uninterruptedly since it was founded by Kurt Lewin in the 1920’s in Berlin. The seminar series runs every semester on a theme chosen by faculty organizer/s who are affiliated with the Research Center for Group Dynamics at the Institute for Social Research. A very important feature of this seminar today is its interdisciplinary nature. Recent themes have included political polarization, evolution and human behavior, and cultural psychology.