Title:
Racial Trauma and the Mental Health of High School Students of Color: Lived Experiences, Racial Silencing, and Implications for Schools

Authors:
Shedana Hayes-Agent, Ingrid Hayes-Burrell, USA

Abstract:

Racial trauma is an often-unrecognized form of psychological and emotional injury experienced by students of color who encounter racism, racial discrimination, microaggressions, stereotyping, and other race-related stressors. Although research has increasingly documented racial trauma among adults, comparatively less attention has been given to the experiences of adolescents within educational environments. This qualitative study examined the question: How does racial trauma impact the mental health of high school students of color? Using a qualitative interview design informed by narrative inquiry, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 African American, Asian, and Hispanic high school students between the ages of 15 and 18 attending public schools in the North-Central region of the United States. Interview transcripts and field notes were analyzed through manual coding and thematic analysis. Four major themes emerged: racial stereotypes, derogatory labeling, culturally insensitive language, and racial silencing. Across these themes, students described sadness, anger, anxiety, mistrust, defensiveness, hopelessness, powerlessness, and diminished self-worth. Cultural ignorance emerged as a broader pattern connecting the four themes. Findings underscore the need for culturally responsive, racial trauma-informed school practices, professional development, accessible mental health services, and safe spaces in which students of color can process racialized experiences. Schools must recognize racial trauma not solely as an individual mental health concern but also as an educational equity and social justice issue.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.51505/ijmshr.2026.10513