Intersections of oppression: Examining the interactive effect of racial discrimination and neighborhood poverty on PTSD symptoms in Black women.

Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science, Vol 132(5), Jul 2023, 567-576; doi:10.1037/abn0000818Black Americans living in urban environments are disproportionately impacted by posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Both racial discrimination and neighborhood poverty are factors that contribute to this health disparity. However, studies focused on the intersection of these two oppressive systems on PTSD symptoms are lacking. To address this gap in the literature, we assessed the interactive effects of racial discrimination and neighborhood poverty on PTSD symptoms in an urban sample of trauma-exposed Black women (N = 300). Simple moderation analysis was used to assess the main and interactive effects of racial discrimination and neighborhood poverty on PTSD symptoms. The overall model significantly predicted PTSD symptoms, with a main effect of racial discrimination (B = 1.87, p = .009) and neighborhood poverty rate (B = 0.29, p = .008), independent of prior trauma exposure and percentage of Black residents in the zip code. More frequent experiences of racial discrimination and higher rates of neighborhood poverty both predicted higher PTSD symptoms. There was also a trending interaction of racial discrimination and neighborhood poverty (B = −0.05, p = .054), where the effect of neighborhood poverty on PTSD symptoms was only present for those who reported fewer experiences of racial discrimination. Our results suggest that people who have experienced more instances of r...
Source: Journal of Abnormal Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research