Stepping Stones: A Starting Point for Integration of Racial Ethnic Protective Factors in Clinical Practice for Pediatric Behavioral Health Clinicians

As deficit narratives of children of color and race-related hate crimes increase across the country, racial health disparities persist and risk becomes exacerbated. It is imperative that scholars, through their scholarship, continue to document, challenge, and advocate against deficit narratives and racial discrimination in the lives of youth. Yet, parallel to the substantial body of research on racism-related stressors among youth of color, there exists also a robust well of science that elucidates the cultural assets that families have historically drawn upon to protect youth of color amid inequitable systems. Identification of and promotion of these strengths serves as a form of resistance within an increasingly divisive context. Among these cultural assets are racial-ethnic protective factors (REPFs)-defined as tools, practices, and ways of being that buffer some of the impact from racism-related stressors and that promote well-being. 1 Constructs such as racial socialization, racial-ethnic identity, fictive kin relationships, and spirituality are all considered REPFs. Extant research identifies REPFs as unique developmental competencies 2 that inform youth of color's self-esteem, self-efficacy, social support, and cognitive appraisal in the face of racial inequity. Practitioners across psychology, pediatric medicine, and education have long called for thoughtful integration of these REPFs in pediatric clinical care settings. 3 Elucidating the strengths that families hold, while simultaneously advocating across levels for more equitable care, are acts of empowerment, as these REPFs are well researched and challenge deficit-based language.