Intersecting Burdens: Pathways from Racism to Health Outcomes in Black and Latine Justice-Involved vs. Non-Justice Populations
ABSTRACT
The pervasive nature of racism at both interpersonal and structural levels continue to pose significant health threats to racially and ethnically minoritized communities. The Biopsychosocial Model of Racism (Clark et al., 1999) elucidates the physiological, cognitive, and emotional mechanisms that influence health outcomes, yet the specific pathways through which racism affects Black and Latine individuals with criminal legal histories are not well understood. Building on the Biopsychosocial Model of Racism and incorporating theories of cumulative disadvantage (Guarnera et al., 2025; Kurlychek & Johnson, 2019), this presentation delves into the nuanced mechanisms of racism's impact on mental and behavioral health for these populations. Utilizing data from a national study (N = 733 participants, n = 292 justice-involved, n = 441 non-justice-involved), Dr. Taylor will present findings from a multigroup latent variable path analysis to explore how experiences of racism influence self-reported physiological responses, cognitive rumination, and emotional regulation difficulties. Additionally, the presentation will investigate how cognitive rumination and emotional regulation serve as mediators in the relationship between racism and mental (depression, anxiety, PTSD) and behavioral (alcohol use, cannabis use) health outcomes. The results underscore the intersection of race and legal system involvement as a compounding factor, highlighting the urgent need for targeted clinical interventions designed to address the unique challenges faced by these marginalized groups.
Dr. Terrill Taylor is an Assistant Professor and core faculty member of the APA-accredited Counseling Psychology program in the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park. He began his tenure at the University in Fall 2023, following the completion of his doctoral studies in Counseling Psychology at the University of North Dakota and a predoctoral internship at the University of Texas at Austin's Counseling and Mental Health Center. Dr. Taylor also served as a Scholar-in-Residence at the Institute for the Study of Race and Culture at Boston College. His research primarily addresses dynamics within the criminal legal system, focusing on intersectionality, racial disparities, anti-Black racism, and restorative justice. Dr. Taylor directs the Restoring H.O.P.E. Research Lab at UMD, where his team aims to understand the cycle of oppression in criminal legal systems, dismantle systemic social inequities, and develop transformative psychological interventions to mitigate the effects of racism on health.
