Brandon Kirkwood, a 2023 graduate of the PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University in New England, has written and published a dissertation, The Impact of Poorly Facilitated Anti-racist Conversations.
On top of a rigorous training program, graduate students of color face additional distinct challenges, including racism, discrimination, and feelings of isolation. This dissertation addresses a knowledge gap, assessing whether anti-racist conversations currently do more harm than good for students of color in predominantly White programs.
Kirkwood used a survey research design to examine how students of color rate their program’s facilitation of anti-racist conversations in the following domains: 1) emotional safety, 2) identifying and addressing micro-aggressions, 3) cultural competence, 4) cultural sensitivity, 5) and racial representation of facilitators. The survey examined physical and emotional symptoms of distress, as well as positive and negative emotions experienced during and immediately following anti-racist dialogue.
Kirkwood’s study reinforces the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion as a prerequisite for productive, meaningful, and culturally sensitive anti-racist dialogue.
Read Kirkwood’s dissertation, The Impact of Poorly Facilitated Anti-racist Conversations, here.
