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Linking Racial Disparities in School Discipline to Black Youth Suicidality

Award Number: R21MH130758
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2025

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Linking Racial Disparities in School Discipline to Black Youth Suicidality - ABSTRACT The suicide rate is about two times higher for Black children ages 5-12 than White children of the same age group. Identifying factors that disproportionately impact young Black children and contribute to their high rates of suicide and suicidality (i.e., ideation, planning, attempt) represents a critical gap in the field. Racial disparities in school discipline practices that are due to racial biases (i.e., racialized discipline) have been seen throughout the literature. Black children in elementary school are two to three times more likely to be suspended or receive an office discipline referral compared to White children for the same behaviors. Despite robust evidence demonstrating the negative psychological impact of Black children’s experiences of discrimination, the association between racialized discipline and young Black children’s suicidal ideation and behavior has not been established. This proposal seeks to test 1) whether higher rates of racialized discipline predict Black children’s suicidality, 2) whether the proposed association between racialized discipline and Black children’s suicidality is moderated by child emotion regulation and neurocognitive functioning, and 3) whether racial socialization—a cultural parenting strategy—protects against childhood suicidality. These aims will be addressed via a two wave prospective study of 200 Black children ages 8-10, their primary caregivers, and their teachers, recruited through a University Hospital program providing school-based mental health treatment to schools in a major metropolitan area. Racialized discipline will be assessed via a novel teacher daily diary approach and triangulated with standard measures, including disparities in office discipline referrals and children’s perceived teacher and school discipline inequity. Children’s suicidal thoughts and behaviors will be assessed via a gold standard semi-structured interview. Children will also complete computerized neurocognitive functioning tasks and an observed emotion regulation task. Parents will report their preparation for bias and cultural socialization messages. Data will be analyzed using multilevel structural equation modeling. This study has the potential to inform school-based policy to address racial bias in schools and culturally relevant, targeted intervention programs for Black families with the goal of decreasing suicidal thoughts and behavior in Black children.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = -$350,434 )
2026	2024	UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK	3112 LEE BUILDING	COLLEGE PARK	MD	20742	PRINCE GEORGES	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	2	12/22/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$350,434
														Subtotal = -$350,434

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $194,167 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK	3112 LEE BUILDING	COLLEGE PARK	MD	20742	PRINCE GEORGES	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	2	8/26/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$194,167
														Subtotal = $194,167

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2023	2022	UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK	3112 LEE BLDG 7809 REGENTS DR	COLLEGE PARK	MD	20742	PRINCE GEORGES	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	1	9/7/2023	NEW	$0
2023	2022	UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK	3112 LEE BLDG 7809 REGENTS DR	COLLEGE PARK	MD	20742	PRINCE GEORGES	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	1	9/8/2023	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $256,271 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK	3112 LEE BLDG 7809 REGENTS DR	COLLEGE PARK	MD	20742	PRINCE GEORGES	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	1	8/26/2022	NEW	$256,271
														Subtotal = $256,271

Grand Total All Awards = $100,004

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Linking Racial Disparities in School Discipline to Black Youth Suicidality

Award Number: R21MH130758

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2025

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