Racial Trauma and Resilience: A Mixed-Methods Study of Black Women's Health and Coping
Julian, Jacob
Citations
Abstract
Racial trauma significantly impacts Black Americans' mental and physical health, yet research on Black women's lived experiences remains limited. This convergent mixed-methods study explored how Black women narrate racial trauma experiences and examined associations between these narratives and health outcomes. Nineteen Black women (ages 18-40) participated in semi-structured interviews using the University of Connecticut Racial/Ethnic Stress & Trauma Scale (UnRESTS). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis identified five Group Experiential Themes: (1) multifaceted experiences of racism spanning interpersonal, institutional, vicarious, and historical domains; (2) DSM-5 trauma symptoms manifesting in culturally specific ways; (3) embodied weathering and health impacts; (4) coping mechanisms emphasizing cultural resources and collective support; and (5) resilience factors reflecting both growth and ongoing suffering. Quantitative measures assessed PTSD symptoms (PCL-5), race-related stress (IRRS), Africultural coping (ACSI), and physical health (SF-36). Mixed methods integration revealed that participants with more complex narratives (N = 13) showed greater symptom severity (PCL-5: M = 43.40 vs. 16.80, p < .001). A positive correlation between PTSD symptoms and Africultural coping (r = .52, p = .023) challenged deficit-based interpretations, revealing coping as proportional response to ongoing threats rather than symptom reduction. Findings further complicate traditional resilience narratives, demonstrating how growth and suffering coexist within systemic oppression. Results also further support the Radical Healing Framework while revealing tensions between individual healing and collective liberation. This study advances understanding of racial trauma as collectively experienced and systemically maintained, requiring interventions that address both individual support and structural transformation.
