Table 1.
Sample characteristics (N = 304)
| Characteristic | N (%) or M (SD) |
|---|---|
| Age | 41.9 (SD = 13.5) |
| Biological sex (% identified as female) | 238 (78.6%) |
| Educationa | |
| High school diploma, GED, or lessa | 28 (9.2%) |
| Some college, associate’s degree, or technical school | 99 (32.7%) |
| At least bachelor’s degree, postgraduate, or professional school | 176 (58.1%) |
| Annual household income | |
| $0–$49,999 | 144 (47.5%) |
| $50,000–$99,999 | 99 (32.7%) |
| ≥ $100,000 | 60 (19.8%) |
| Homeownership | |
| Own | 123 (40.6%) |
| Rent | 141 (46.5%) |
| Otherb | 39 (12.9%) |
| Perceptions of mental health | |
| Excellent | 27 (8.9%) |
| Very good | 79 (26.1%) |
| Good | 106 (35.0%) |
| Fair | 68 (22.4%) |
| Poor | 23 (7.6%) |
| How often have you watched television or social media coverage of African Americans being seriously injured or killed by police officers in America? | |
| Never or rarelyc | 17 (5.6%) |
| Sometimes | 49 (16.2%) |
| Often | 153 (50.5%) |
| Always | 84 (27.7%) |
| To what extent has watching African Americans being seriously injured or killed by police officers on television or social media affected your life? | |
| Not at all | 7 (2.3%) |
| A little | 18 (6.0%) |
| Somewhat | 45 (15.1%) |
| A lot | 119 (39.8% |
| Extremely | 110 (36.8%) |
| How often have you watched television or social media coverage of the recent protests that have taken place around the country? | |
| Never or rarelyd | 22 (7.3%) |
| Sometimes | 77 (25.4%) |
| Often | 135 (44.6%) |
| Always | 69 (22.8%) |
| To what extent has watching the recent protests that have taken place around the country affected your life? | |
| Not at all | 22 (7.3%) |
| A little | 31 (10.3%) |
| Somewhat | 92 (30.7%) |
| A lot | 105 (35.0%) |
| Extremely | 50 (16.7%) |
| Following the death of George Floyd, have you ever done any of the following (% yes)? † | |
| Had conversations with family or friends about issues related to race or racial equality | 294 (97.0%) |
| Posted or shared content on social networking sites related to race or racial equality | 234 (77.2%) |
| Attended a protest or rally that focused on issues related to race or racial equality | 109 (36.0%) |
| Contributed money to a group or organization that focuses on race or racial equality | 106 (35.0%) |
| Contacted a public official to express your opinion on issues related to race or racial equality | 82 (27.1%) |
| Social activism†† | |
| Low | 55 (18.2%) |
| Medium | 162 (53.5%) |
| High | 86 (28.4%) |
All variables had less than 5% missing data
†A total score was created from participants’ responses (min = 0 and max = 5), and their total score was then categorized to establish three distinct levels of engagement in social activism: low (0–1), medium (2–3), and high (4–5)
aDid not finish high school (n = 2), and high school or GED (n = 26)
b “Other” was defined as living with parents (n = 27) or other living arrangements (n = 12)
cNever (n = 4), and rarely (n = 13)
dNever (n = 3), and rarely (n = 19)