About this poster

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Panel information
Panel 4. Families, Parenting, and Relationships

Abstract

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Introduction
A growing body of research demonstrates that the cumulative effect of exposure to various forms of racism can result in trauma symptoms resembling those seen in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The resulting functional impairment has been termed racial trauma, or race-based trauma, in the literature. Among Black Americans who experience psychopathology, there is a clear link between racial discrimination and trauma symptomatology (Sibrava et al., 2019; Williams et al., 2021). Thus, efforts to promote racial equity should include efforts to deepen our understanding of racial trauma and its impact on various domains of functioning.

Parenting is one domain that is often negatively impacted among adults with psychopathology. A systematic review examining the association between PTSD and various aspects of parenting found that PTSD impairs parenting, resulting in more frequent use of hostile and controlling parenting behaviors (Christie et al., 2019). Several studies have examined the associations between racial discrimination and parenting, with somewhat mixed results. To date, there is a paucity of research examining whether racial trauma impacts parenting.

Method
The current exploratory study included 169 Black/African American parents of young children (MAge = 33.96 , SD = 6.67; 75% female). Parents completed survey assessments of racial trauma (measured using the Racial Trauma Scale; Williams et al., 2022) and several parenting domains, including: authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles (measured using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire; Robinson et al., 2001), supportive and unsupportive emotion socialization (measured using the Coping with Children’s Negative Emotions Scale; Fabes, 1990), and four types of racial socialization messages: preparation for discrimination, promotion of mistrust, celebrating people of color, and egalitarianism (measured using the Parental Racial Socialization Scale (Hughes & Johnson, 2006; Pahlke et al., 2012).

We used Mplus to conduct structural equation modeling to examine the associations between racial trauma and parenting. First, we examined the association between overall racial trauma and parenting (Model 1). Next, we examined the unique associations between specific dimensions of racial trauma symptoms, including lack of safety (e.g., feeling that the world is unsafe, watching surroundings for danger), negative cognitions (e.g., feeling worthless, having difficulties connecting with other people), and difficulty coping (e.g., reacting angrily, having difficulty sleeping), and parenting (Model 2).

Results
In Model 1, higher racial trauma symptomatology was associated with less authoritative parenting and greater promotion of mistrust. Associations with other dimensions of parenting were non-significant. In Model 2, higher symptoms related to negative cognitions were associated with higher unsupportive and lower supportive emotion socialization behaviors, as well as more authoritarian and less authoritative parenting. Additionally, higher symptoms related to difficulty coping were associated with less authoritative parenting and less celebrating people of color. In contrast, higher symptoms related to lack of safety were associated with lower unsupportive and higher supportive emotion socialization behaviors, less authoritarian and more authoritative parenting, and more celebrating people of color.

Discussion
These findings suggest that Black parents’ racial trauma symptoms are associated with their parenting of young children. Interestingly, the direction of effects varied when considering individual symptoms of racial trauma. Whereas parents’ negative cognitions and difficulty coping with racial trauma may be associated with less supportive or warm parenting, parents’ feelings about their lack of safety may be associated with more supportive and warm parenting. Thus, it is possible that threats to parents’ own safety may lead parents to engage in more protective parenting behaviors. Understanding the experiences of Black parents who are navigating their own racial trauma while parenting children at a critical stage of development has the potential to inform evidence-based practice and maximize the benefits of parenting interventions for Black families.

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