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Racial trauma and well-being among Black young adults.
Elijah R Murphy1, Deanna Rosales1, Matthew W Gallagher1
1Department of Psychology, University of Houston.
Summary
Racial trauma negatively impacts Black adults' subjective, psychological, and overall well-being. However, it was not linked to social well-being, suggesting social support as a key healing strategy.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Racism is a significant determinant of mental health disparities in Black adults.
- Racist experiences can lead to racial trauma symptoms, especially when uncontrollable.
- Limited understanding exists regarding the connection between racial trauma symptoms and well-being in Black adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between racial trauma and well-being domains in Black adults.
- To investigate the impact of racial trauma on subjective, social, and psychological well-being.
- To explore racial trauma's relationship with overall well-being as a mental health outcome.
Main Methods:
- Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze data from 417 Black adults.
- The Trauma Symptoms of Discrimination Scale was used to measure racial trauma.
- Associations between racial trauma and subjective, social, psychological, and overall well-being were quantified.
Main Results:
- Racial trauma was significantly associated with lower subjective, psychological, and overall well-being.
- These associations were found to have small effect sizes.
- No significant association was observed between racial trauma and social well-being.
Conclusions:
- While racial trauma impacts various well-being aspects, social well-being remained unaffected.
- Interventions focused on enhancing social well-being may be crucial for recovery from racial trauma.
- Findings highlight the complex relationship between racism, trauma, and mental health outcomes.
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