Relationships Between Trauma Symptoms and Race-Based Traumatic Stress

Abstract

This study examined the relationships between symptoms of trauma and race-based traumatic stress to determine if and how reactions to negative race-based experiences are similar or different from symptoms associated with trauma. Participants were 421 community-based adult respondents. Canonical correlation analyses were used to examine patterns of relationships between race-based traumatic stress and trauma symptoms. Strong relationships were found between race-based traumatic stress and trauma symptoms as per the Trauma Symptom Checklist– 40, indicating that race-based traumatic stress is significantly related to trauma reactions (e.g., dissociation, anxiety, depression, sexual problems, and sleep disturbance), especially in instances where individuals have endorsed negative race-based experiences as stressful. Findings provide support to the notion that race-based traumatic stress is highly related to trauma symptoms and traumatic reactions.