Race-Related Traumatic Events Online and Mental Health Among Adolescents of Color

Brendesha M Tynes; Henry A Willis; Ashley M Stewart; Matthew W Hamilton

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.03.006

Race-Related Traumatic Events Online and Mental Health Among Adolescents of Color

J Adolesc Health. 2019 Sep;65(3):371-377. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.03.006. Epub 2019 Jun 10.

Authors

Brendesha M Tynes¹, Henry A Willis², Ashley M Stewart³, Matthew W Hamilton³

Affiliations

¹ Center for Empowered Learning and Development with Technology, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California. Electronic address: btynes@usc.edu.
² Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
³ Center for Empowered Learning and Development with Technology, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.

PMID: 31196779
DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.03.006

Abstract

Purpose: Viral videos of the detainment of undocumented immigrants in cages and police killings of unarmed citizens are two of the most pressing traumatic events facing adolescents of color. However, little is known about whether these online experiences are linked to mental health outcomes. This study examines the association between exposure to such events online and mental health in a sample of African American and Latinx adolescents.

Methods: Data were collected from a national sample of 302 African American and Latinx adolescents aged 11-19 years. Participants reported their exposure to traumatic events online (TEO), depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and other sociodemographics. Multiple regression analyses were conducted.

Results: Analyses indicated a significant association between TEO and both PTSD symptoms and depressive symptoms, indicating that more frequent experiences of TEO were associated with higher levels of PTSD symptoms and depressive symptoms. In addition, regression analyses further indicated that girls reported higher PTSD and depressive symptoms than boys. Latinx participants also reported increased depressive symptoms.

Conclusions: This study extends recent research that suggests police killings, as well as viewing distressing news directed at members of one's own racial-ethnic group or those who share the same immigration status, are related to poor mental health outcomes. Researchers should also explore what protective factors may buffer youth against the outcomes typically associated with these events.

Keywords: Collective trauma; Depressive symptoms; Immigrants; Internet; PTSD; Police brutality; Viral videos.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Black or African American / psychology
Black or African American / statistics & numerical data
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depression / epidemiology*
Depression / etiology
Exposure to Violence / psychology*
Female
Hispanic or Latino / psychology
Hispanic or Latino / statistics & numerical data
Humans
Male
Mass Media*
Racism / psychology
Social Media*
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / epidemiology*
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / etiology
Surveys and Questionnaires