Latent Patterns of Violence and Racism on Mental Health and Coping Among Black Women

Black women are underrepresented in interpersonal violence research and studies often overlook the impact of racism on mental health. The current study used person-centered analytic methods to identify latent profiles of Black women's experiences of child maltreatment, adult sexual assault (ASA), racism, and gendered racism. Differences in depression, alcohol use, and discrimination coping strategies were examined across profiles. Data from 425 Black women in the United States revealed a three-profile solution. Profile 1 (Lower Adversity; n = 267) had the lowest scores on all measures. Profile 2 (High Gendered Racism; n = 92) reported high gendered racism, moderate racism, moderate child maltreatment, and moderate ASA severity. Profile 3 (High Child Maltreatment; n = 66) reported high child maltreatment, moderate ASA, moderate racism, and moderate gendered racism. ANOVAs revealed the High Gendered Racism and High Child Maltreatment profiles reported greater depression symptoms than the Lower Adversity profile. The High Gendered Racism profile reported higher alcohol use than the Lower Adversity profile, and the High Child Maltreatment profile did not differ from either. Similar patterns emerged for coping strategies, except all profiles differed for detachment: High Child Maltreatment reported the highest detachment coping, followed by High Gendered Racism, and Lower Adversity. Findings suggest racial discrimination can be as harmful as interpersonal violence. The High Child Maltreatment profile's greater reliance on detachment coping suggests disengagement as a response to cumulative trauma. Findings emphasize the need for further exploration of mental health and coping strategies within an intersectional framework to understand how Black women navigate interpersonal violence and systemic oppression.