Posttraumatic stress related to the killing of michael brown and resulting civil unrest in ferguson, missouri: Roles of protest engagement, media use, race, and resilience

Abstract

Objective: A significant body of research has examined the psychological harm of exposure to collective traumas such as disasters (e.g., tornados, hurricanes, mass violence). Less well studied are the mental health effects of exposure to macro-level race-related traumas, such as instances of police violence toward African Americans and subsequent civil unrest that are widely covered by traditional and social media. Method: This study examined posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms in a sample of 936 Black and white residents of the St. Louis, MO, metropolitan statistical area surveyed following the August 2014 fatal shooting of Michael Brown and subsequent civil unrest in Ferguson, MO. We used structural equation modeling to examine direct, indirect, and conditional relationships among race, protest engagement, media use, and resilience on PTS symptoms. Results: Race and protest engagement were directly associated with PTS symptoms, whereas media exposure was indirectly associated with PTS through protest engagement. Resilience had an inverse relationship with PTS symptoms. Conclusion: Our results suggest that social workers should provide mental health resources and interventions for community members experiencing macro-level race-related events and work to address racial injustices that compound trauma and increase risks for posttraumatic difficulties.