Advocacy in the Face of Adversity: Influence in the Relationship Between Racial Microaggressions and Social Justice Advocacy

Michael S. Ternes, Johanna E. Nilsson (), Anum Khalid and Melànie B. Siems
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Michael S. Ternes: Department of Psychology and Counseling, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
Johanna E. Nilsson: Department of Psychology and Counseling, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
Anum Khalid: Department of Psychology and Counseling, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
Melànie B. Siems: Department of Psychology and Counseling, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA

Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-15

Abstract: Background: Urban institutions offer quality post-secondary education to individuals who may not otherwise have access, yet do not always provide necessary resources for racially marginalized students. Students at primarily White, urban institutions face race-based stressors, such as microaggressions. According to stress and coping theory, individuals respond to stressors through coping strategies, which differ in effectiveness and subsequent outcomes. Social justice advocacy (SJA) represents a potentially important avenue for coping with discrimination, yet the relationship between microaggressions and SJA, as well as the association of task-focused coping with SJA, is unclear. Methods: A total of 96 students with racially marginalized identities were surveyed. Results: Analyses revealed significant associations between experiencing racial microaggressions, coping, and engagement in SJA, as well as a partial mediations of the associations between racial microaggressions and engagement in SJA through task-focused coping. Conclusions: The study offers support for the established association between discrimination and coping, including SJA. Results indicate that consideration should be given to SJA and task-focused coping as encouraged responses to racial microaggressions. Future studies should evaluate the outcome of these coping efforts and consider alternative ways of coping.

Keywords: microaggressions; coping; social justice advocacy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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