Racism's Impact on African American Fathers' Well-being

Discrimination refers to an individual or group’s unjust and unfavorable treatment based on identifying factors such as sex, disability, or ethnicity (Dovidio et al., 2010). Race is a social construct that categorizes people based on physical appearance, while ethnicity pertains to a shared culture and identity derived from common heritage, ancestry, or nationality. Racism, which stems from hostility towards individuals based on their race and/or ethnicity (R. T. Lee et al., 2019), is pervasive in society and can cause stress and harm mental health (Carter, 2007; de Freitas et al., 2018; Ruggiero & Taylor, 1995). Racial discrimination inflicts emotional distress with severe and long-term psychological consequences. This paper explores the impact of racial discrimination on the mental health of African-American fathers