Racial, ethnic, and neighborhood income disparities in childhood posttraumatic stress and grief: Exploring indirect effects through trauma exposure and bereavement

We examined mediation models to investigate whether polyvictimization, the loss of multiple loved ones, and exposure to violent death were potential mechanisms through which race/ethnicity and NID would predict trauma and grief outcomes in youth. Participants (N = 429) included Black (19.9%), Latinx (36.0%), and White (27.3%) children and adolescents who were assessed through a routine baseline assessment at a trauma and grief outpatient clinic. Black youth reported significantly elevated posttraumatic stress and maladaptive grief symptoms through higher polyvictimization and violent death exposure relative to White youth, βs = .06–.12, ps<.001. Latinx identity and NID were positively and directly associated with specific domains of maladaptive grief reactions, βs = .10–.17, ps< .001. If replicated longitudinally, these findings suggest that polyvictimization and violent death exposure may be mechanisms through which Black youth develop more severe traumatic stress and grief reactions.
Source: Journal of Traumatic Stress - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research