Measuring White Fragility

Terrence Hill, Andrew Mannheimer and J. Micah Roos

Social Science Quarterly, 2021, vol. 102, issue 4, 1812-1829

Abstract: Objective We propose and develop novel survey questions and quantitative summary indices of White fragility. Methods The data come from the 2018 Survey of White Fragility, a longitudinal convenience sample of 279 non‐Hispanic white undergraduate students aged 18 and over taking courses at two large public universities in the southeastern and southwestern United States. Results Factor analyses revealed two latent factors. The first factor—Remorse Fragility—was defined by feeling sad, guilty, and, to a lesser extent, angry in the context of discussions related to racism, race‐based discrimination, and white privilege. The second factor—Depletion Fragility—was defined by feeling drained, exhausted, unsafe, and, to a lesser extent, attacked and confused in the same contexts. Additional analyses supported the reliability and validity of our indices. Conclusion More research is needed to establish measures of White Fragility to inform interventions that support critical discussions of whiteness and the racist structures of society.

Date: 2021
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