Black women caregivers’ homeplace fortification in response to negative news media

Black mothers are highly capable of supporting their children by creating homeplaces, or spaces where children are shielded from the challenges of the outside world, by leveraging their strengths-based assets to support their children’s positive development. When confronted with a barrage of viral videos of police brutality and other negative news media, Black women caregivers may engage in more activities and conversations to help their children cope with the outside world. This study investigates how Black women caregivers safeguard their children from experiencing vicarious trauma as a result of viewing negative news media. Utilizing consensual qualitative analysis, interviews with 12 Black women caregivers revealed a dynamic process termed ‘homeplace fortification’. This process involved caregivers heightened emotional responses to negative news, prompting caregivers to make deliberate decisions to engage their children–either by discussing the news or limiting their exposure. Both approaches serve to protect and support Black children’s health and wellbeing. This study advances the field of family psychology by demonstrating how Black women caregivers use homeplace fortification to bolster their children’s mental health in the face of negative news media, emphasizing Black women caregiver’s strengths in being attuned and responsive to their children’s emotional needs.