Beyond Virality: Police Brutality Exposure and Protective Factors among Black College Students

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between exposure to police brutality on social media and race-based stress among Black college freshmen, as well as the potential moderating effects of racial identity and racial socialization. A national sample of 292 first-year Black college students (151 females, 141 males) completed a Qualtrics survey measuring demographic characteristics, police brutality exposure, race-based stress, racial socialization, and racial identity. Guided by Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Social Identity Theory (SIT), this study situates Black college students’ responses to police brutality exposure within broader structural and identity-based processes that shape interpretations of racialized violence. Analyses showed that race-based stress was negatively correlated with both racial identity and racial socialization, suggesting their potential protective roles. An unexpected negative correlation also emerged between exposure to police brutality and race-based stress, although this association did not remain significant in multivariate regression models. Neither racial identity nor racial socialization significantly moderated the exposure–stress relationship. Findings highlight the complexity of social media as both a site of racial trauma and resilience. Counseling implications, measurement limitations, and directions for future research on vicarious racial trauma in digital contexts are discussed.

Plain Language Summary

Social Media Exposure to Police Brutality and Stress Among Black College Students

Videos and posts about police violence against Black individuals are widely shared on social media. Many Black college students regularly encounter this content, which may affect their mental health. This study examined whether exposure to police brutality on social media is related to race-related stress among Black college freshmen. It also explored whether racial identity and racial socialization might help protect students from stress. A national sample of 292 Black college freshmen completed an online survey about their social media exposure to police brutality, race-based stress, racial identity, and racial socialization. Students reported frequent exposure to police brutality content online. Results showed that students with stronger racial identity and more racial socialization messages from parents tended to report lower levels of race-related stress. However, these factors did not significantly change the relationship between exposure to police brutality and stress when examined together in statistical models. Overall, the findings suggest that the relationship between social media exposure to police violence and mental health is complex. Social media may expose students to racial trauma, but it may also provide opportunities for awareness, connection, and community support. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how online exposure to racial violence affects the well-being of Black college students.