LOS ANGELES — Police brutality, daily protests, systemic racism, unemployment, looters destroying property, COVID-19, stay-at-home-orders, the murder of George Floyd by a police officer, black men (Malcolm Harsch and Robert Fuller) found hanging from trees.
Turner, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of psychology at Pepperdine University and is qualified to speak about the psychological effects of violence and racial trauma, the perception of police bias in communities of color, and talking with children about racism.
TURNER: Given what we know from research, when people experience this level of stress and dealing with encounters of systemic racism they are more likely to experience many different mental health consequences including anxiety, depression, decreased life satisfaction, and possible trauma due to witnessing police brutality.
TURNER: What we know from research is that when community members witness these types of incidents they often report higher levels of PTSD symptoms and depression, specifically in the Black community.
TURNER: Research has shown that discrimination and racism has a negative impact on mental health and self-esteem.