Racism isn’t just something you experience in person. It can arrive virtually, through headlines, videos, and social media feeds, and its impact is no less felt by children watching and absorbing it.
According to child and adult psychiatrist Dr. Amanda Joy Calhoun, this phenomenon is called “vicarious racism,” and its impact on young developing minds can be intense.
“Some [children] are angry, some are depressed, some are terrified, worrying about their safety as Black people in America,” she writes in Parents magazine, describing how widely-televised racist violence and bias show up in the mental health of her patients.
Vicarious racism refers to secondhand exposure to racism through news, social media, or hearing about racist experiences happening to others, and research shows that children aren’t immune.
Calhoun notes that “children experiencing vicarious racism can also experience low self-esteem, anxiety symptoms, and increased substance use” and may become withdrawn or behaviorally changed as a result.
This isn’t just emotional discomfort — it’s a real threat to childhood development as well because children are still building their sense of safety and identity.
To address this, Calhoun argues that adults must acknowledge and validate what children are seeing instead of minimizing it. She says it’s crucial for caregivers and parents to discuss and name racism for what it is, help young people understand it, and seek professional support if emotional symptoms become severe.
Calhoun also stresses empowerment: involving children and teens in anti-racism work can actually be protective and help them feel less powerless in the face of pervasive bias.
Otherwise, the consequences can be profound — unaddressed vicarious racism can deepen into anxiety, depression, and hopelessness, shaping how a child views the world and their place in it.
As Calhoun puts it, “it is natural, normal, and healthy to feel sadness, hopelessness, and fear when witnessing racism,” but ignoring those reactions only compounds the damage.
