A systematic review of experimental studies evaluating anti-racist program techniques for children and adolescents

This systematic review synthetizes studies using experimental designs and evaluating techniques theorized to foster the development of anti-racism among youth in school settings (19 published reports; 23 independent studies; participant ages 3 to 19 years old, primarily White). Our goal herein was to identify unique program components, design elements, outcome measures; and to critically evaluate the extant studies in terms of potential public health impact. A number of specific programing elements were distilled that may be included in future interventions. Overall, interventions that leveraged cognitive and educational components to help increase positive outgroup contact seemed most promising. However, most of the studies testing such programs lacked methodological robustness (e.g., probable gaps in internal validity from the absence of intervention manuals or equivalent, fidelity checks, reliance on outcome measures with unknown psychometric properties, follow-up designs). Future research would benefit from establishing adherence to implementation (fidelity to protocol), including pre, post and follow-up assessments, as well as using outcome measures appropriate for determining both short-term and long-term change. There is a clear need for the funding of technique development, manualized programing for delivery, rigorous evaluation of these with standardized outcome measures, and adequately powered studies testing outcomes across development.