Responding Responsively: Benefits of Responsive Racism-Specific Support for Black College Students in Same- and Cross-Race Friendships

Objectives: Black people seek racism-specific support (RSS)—social support in response to racism—from same-race (vs. cross-race) friends because they feel more understood by Black friends. The present study tested whether supportive and responsive (i.e., validating) RSS from Black or non-Black friends differentially influenced friendship dynamics and factors associated with Black support-seekers’ psychological well-being (e.g., affect). Method: Same-race (Black/Black; n_dyad = 17) and cross-race (Black/non-Black; n_dyad = 29) friendship dyads (M_age = 20.25, SD = 3.26) discussed an experience of racism. Both friends rated the supportiveness and responsiveness of RSS (or support) and completed pre- and postconversation measures (e.g., affect, emotional closeness). Results: Supportive and responsive RSS predicted increased closeness between same- and cross-race friends. Responsive RSS predicted increased postconversation positive affect for Black support-seekers talking to same-race (vs. cross-race) friends. Exploratory analyses revealed support-providers also perceived support-seekers as providing responsiveness during exchanges. Conclusions: Responsive and supportive RSS predicted positive cross-race friendship outcomes, and responsive RSS, especially among same-race friends, predicted improvement in Black support-seekers’ affective reactions associated with psychological well-being. Moreover, the role of seeking and providing support might be dynamic, particularly when Black friends talk about racism with other friends of color.