Youth mental health: Racial trauma and stress

What are the largest threats to mental health facing modern teens? And how can parents, educators, and other adults help them thrive despite their challenges?On this episode of School’s In, hosts Dan Schwartz and Denise Pope welcome Assistant Professor Farzana (Saleem) Adjah to discuss racial trauma and stress and the effect that it has on student mental health. Adjah covers several relevant topics, including:How trauma and racial bias shows up in schoolsHow educators can adopt a culturally-responsive, trauma-informed lens when interacting with studentsWhat research-backed, group-based interventions help  promote healing and resistance to further harmHow to empower young people to name what’s happening to them, resist harm, respond, and ultimately thriveAssistant Professor Farzana Adjah’s research examines the influence of racial stressors and culturally-relevant practices on the psychological health, academic success, and well-being of Black adolescents and other youth of color. Her work focuses on factors in the family, school, and community contexts that can help youth manage the consequences of racial stress and trauma. To learn more about her research, visit her faculty profile.If you or someone you know is struggling with their emotional health, the National Institute of Mental Health lists resources on their webpage.School’s In is your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights and enlightening conversations in education. Presented by Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE), School’s In is hosted by GSE Dean Dan Schwartz and Senior Lecturer Denise Pope. They invite you to join them as they navigate the complexities of post-pandemic education and discuss the latest research in teaching and learning.Stanford GSE is a leader in education research and teaching, known for its commitment to pursuing equitable, accessible, and effective learning for all. To keep up with our research, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads.