Chapter 3—The Psychological Dilemmas and Dynamics of Microaggressions
Clash of Racial Realities: “You Are Just Being Hypersensitive and Misreading the Situation!”
Invisibility of Unintentional Biases: “I'm Not a Racist!”
Perceived Minimal Harm of Microaggressions: “Don't Make a Mountain Out of a Molehill!”
The Catch‐22 of Responding to Microaggressions: “You're Damned if You Do and Damned if You Don't!”
The Way Forward: Dealing with Psychological Dilemmas
Section Two—Microaggressive Impact on Targets and Perpetrators is composed of three chapters. In this section, we provide a model to understand the internal struggle of microaggression recipients, and the harm it has on their physical and mental well‐being. Quite new is our chapter on microaggressive perpetrators and the unique analysis of the impact that microaggressions have upon them.
Chapter 4—The Microaggression Process Model: The Internal Struggle of Targets
Tracing the Impact of MicroaggressionsPhase One—The Potential Microaggressive Incident or EventPhase Two—Initial Assessment and Questioning of the IncidentPhase Three—Reaction ProcessesPhase Four—Interpretation and MeaningPhase Five—Consequences and Impact
The Microaggression Process Model: Recap
The Way Forward: Strength through Adversity
Chapter 5—Microaggressive Stress: Impact on Physical and Psychological Well‐Being
Biological Stressors: A Roadmap to Understanding Microaggressive Harm
Psychological and Social StressorsMicroaggressions and Daily HasslesImpact of Everyday HasslesThe Life‐Change Model of StressThe Transactional Model of StressSituating Stress in the Macro‐Context of Oppression
The Harmful Effects of Microaggressive StressPhysical Health Effects of Microaggressive StressorsPsychological Health Effects of Microaggressive Stressors
Strength through Adversity
The Way Forward: Responding Strategically and Resisting Microaggressions
Chapter 6—Microaggressive Perpetrators: Who, What, When, How, and Why?
Who Are Microaggressive Perpetrators?
How and Why Do Individuals Perpetrate Microaggressions?Using the Tools: Creating and Maintaining DominancePower to Impose a Biased Reality
What Makes It So Difficult for Perpetrators to Recognize Their Privilege?Layer One—Fear of Appearing BiasedLayer Two—Fear of Recognizing One's Complicity in OppressionLayer Three—Fear of Acknowledging One's PrivilegeLayer Four—Fear of Taking Personal Responsibility to End Oppression
What Are the Costs of Microaggressions to Perpetrators?Cognitive Costs of OppressionEmotional Costs of OppressionBehavioral Costs of OppressionSpiritual and Moral Costs of Oppression
The Way Forward: The Ethical Mandate
Section Three—Interrogating Microaggressions: On Research, Teaching, and Counseling is composed of three chapters. In this section, we discuss microaggressions from three different perspectives: (a) what has microaggression research revealed and how research methodologies can be used to study the phenomena, (b) how educators need to be cognizant of addressing and teaching about microaggressions, and (c) what mental health professionals need to address in their own personal awakening about microaggressions, and in the quality care of services delivered to culturally diverse clients.
Chapter 7—Researching Microaggressions: Show Me the Evidence!
In Their Own Words: Qualitative Investigation of MicroaggressionsPurposive SamplesFocus GroupsIndividual InterviewsOther Data SourcesTrustworthiness
Do Findings Generalize? Quantitative Investigation of MicroaggressionsMeasuring MicroaggressionsQuantitative Research Designs
Summary
The Way Forward: Future Research Directions
Chapter 8—Teaching About Microaggressions
Faculty Narratives: Facing Challenges in the ClassroomChallenges Faculty Members of Color FaceChallenges White Faculty Members Face
Encountering Microaggressions in the Classroom
Navigating Microaggressions: What Can Educators Do?
Microaggressions Pedagogy: How to Teach about Microaggressions
The Way Forward: General Strategies for Facilitating Difficult Dialogues on Race
Chapter 9—Microaggressions in Counseling and Psychotherapy
Underutilization of Mental Health Services
Premature Termination and Quality of Mental Health Care
Multicultural Counseling Competence
Manifestation of Racial Microaggressions in Counseling and Psychotherapy
Microaggressions Influence Counseling Process and OutcomesInnovative Research Approaches
The Way Forward: Microaggressions Implications for Practice and Research
Section Four—Disarming Microaggressions and Macroaggressions is composed of one chapter. It is a fitting end to the book, because it directly addresses what targets, allies, and bystanders can do to disarm or neutralize microaggressions.
Chapter 10—Microintervention Strategies for Disarming Microaggressions and Macroaggressions
Microaggressions and Macroaggressions
The Need to Take Action: Targets, Allies, and BystandersTargetsAlliesBystanders
Responding to Microaggressions and Macroaggressions
MicrointerventionsStrategic Goal: Make the “Invisible” VisibleStrategic Goal: Disarm the MicroaggressionStrategic Goal: Educate the PerpetratorStrategic Goal: Seek External Intervention or Support
Microinterventions and Macroaggressions
Context Matters
The Way Forward: Microinterventions and the New Research Frontier
It is important to note that a major goal of the text is to present research data, theory, and practical suggestions on how to overcome microaggressions that target members of marginalized groups and to make specific suggestions related to how microaggressions can be ameliorated at individual, institutional, and societal levels. To further emphasize remedial and preventive interventions, we updated the special concluding sections in each chapter, “The Way Forward,” to provide guidelines, strategies, and interventions that readers can enact to reduce the frequency and impact of microaggressions in our society. We also devote an entire chapter (Chapter 10) to offer readers a conceptual framework and specific microintervention tactics.
In closing, we would like to personally acknowledge our family and partners for their encouragement, support, and help throughout this project. Derald Wing Sue would like to dedicate this book to his wife, Paulina, his son Derald Paul and wife Claire, granddaughters Caroline and Juliette, his daughter Marissa Catherine and husband Neal,