How mothers' understanding of emotions may protect against racism-related trauma and substance use
Maternal Mentalizing as Protective Factor Against Racism-Related Trauma and Maternal Substance Use
This project looks at whether helping Black mothers understand their own and their child's feelings can lower parenting stress tied to racism and reduce substance use.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Drexel University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11098578 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked to share your experiences through questionnaires and conversations about parenting, experiences of racism, and any substance use. The team will measure how mothers understand their own and their child's emotions (mentalizing) alongside parenting stress and substance use history. Researchers will analyze links between racism-related trauma, maternal mentalizing, parenting stress, and substance use in Black mothers of young children. The goal is to identify protective factors in the parenting role that could inform better supports and treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Black or African American mothers of children approximately 0–11 years old, especially those with current or past substance use or who experience parenting stress related to racism, are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People who are not mothers of young children, non-Black parents, or those without interest in sharing parenting and substance-use experiences are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new supports or therapies that strengthen mother-child relationships and lower substance use risk for Black mothers.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research links parental reflective skills to better parent-child relationships, but applying maternal mentalizing specifically to racism-related trauma and maternal substance use is relatively new and under-studied.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Drexel University — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chou, Jessica — Drexel University
- Study coordinator: Chou, Jessica
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.