Date of Award

12-17-2021

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Sierra Carter

Second Advisor

Gabriel Kuperminc

Third Advisor

Laura McKee

Fourth Advisor

Isha Metzger

Abstract

The current study investigated the relationship between race-related stress and trauma symptomatology, and the potential for racial identity profiles to mitigate or exacerbate this relationship in a nontreatment-seeking sample of trauma-exposed African American women (N = 222). Bivariate correlation analyses revealed race-related stress was significantly and positively correlated with total PTSD symptoms, hyperarousal symptoms, avoidance symptoms, and reexperiencing symptoms. Racial identity profiles emerged from latent profile analyses and supported a 3-class solution: Undifferentiated, Detached, and Nationalist. The Nationalist profile group experienced significantly higher race-related stress compared to the Detached and Undifferentiated profiles. Moderation analyses revealed racial identity profile type significantly moderated the relationship between race-related stress and total PTSD symptoms and each symptom group, and that the Nationalist profile group buffered the effects of race-related stress on PTSD symptoms. This study illustrates the ways stress from racial discrimination influences PTSD symptomatology and how racial identity may mitigate this relationship.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/26415599

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