While there are certainly “online only” threats, tech also tends to mirror and magnify offline dynamics we shouldn’t ignore – including racial discrimination. In this episode, researcher and professor Dr. Henry Willis of the University of Maryland shares insights on how online and offline experiences of racism are connected and highlights both the resilience of Black youth and the unique challenges they face in the digital age.

Erin talks to Dr. Henry Willis about:

• The relationship between online and offline racial discrimination and mental health outcomes for youth
• Why resilience is as important to talk about as risk – especially when it comes to Black youth
• Why he isn’t interested in doing research that “sits on the shelf”
• The importance of positive racial identity for mental health and resilience.

Resources and References Mentioned in this Episode:

• The CREATE Lab on X
• The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Mental Health – American Academy of Pediatrics
• Online Racism is Linked to PTSD Symptoms in Youth – NBC News
• Culturally Responsive Telepsychology & mHealth Interventions, Journal of Child & Adolescent Psychology
• Youth, Anxiety, Depression and Social Media, Children and Screens (featuring Dr. Willis)

Henry A. Willis, Ph.D.

Dr. Henry Willis is originally from Jackson, Mississippi, and he received his B.S. in psychology from Howard University and his M.A. in clinical psychology from Columbia University. Dr. Willis received an M.A. and Ph.D. from the Clinical Psychology program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and completed an APA-accredited internship at Montefiore Hospital/Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Subsequently. He completed postdoctoral research training at Columbia University’s School of Social Work and the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice. He completed his postdoctoral clinical training working with children and adults at Madison Park Psychological Services in New York City. Dr. Willis joined the faculty of the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Maryland, College Park in 2023. He is the creator and director of the Cultural Resilience, Equity, and Technology (CREATE) Research Lab at UMD College Park. His program of research includes exploring the relationship between online and offline racial discrimination and mental health outcomes, understanding sociocultural protective factors (i.e., racial identity) and how they impact psychopathology within African Americans, creating cultural adaptations of evidence-based treatments, and utilizing mobile-health technology to increase access to mental health treatments for underserved populations. Dr. Willis also assists in clinical training at the HOPE Center, a free mental health clinic in Harlem, New York.

If you are interested in learning more about current research projects and opportunities to participate in research, please contact willislab@umd.edu.