Resilience Following Adversity: The Role of Religious Coping and Social Support Among Black Youth After Traumatic Events

Abstract

Trauma is a consistent risk factor for negative physical and mental health outcomes due to a combination of environmental, biological and psychological factors. Research has shown that a history of trauma can sensitize a person to subsequent traumas. The COVID-19 pandemic was a traumatic stressor that affected everyone in some capacity, but some individuals were disproportionately impacted more than others such as Black Americans. Research has shown that Black individuals are more susceptible to experiencing traumas such as domestic violence in the home, living in violent neighborhoods, food insecurity, and maltreatment. Religious coping and social support have been highlighted as critical protective factors for Black adolescents and emerging adults in the face of various traumas and stressors. Given this backdrop, this dissertation study explored whether trauma predicted COVID-19-related stress and/or internalizing symptoms, and if this association was moderated by religious coping and social support among 199 Black adolescents and emerging adults (ages 13-25 years; M = 21.64, SD = 2.48) in the United States. Results showed that trauma predicted internalizing symptoms and stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and negative religious coping and less social support were associated with more internalizing symptoms. However, neither religious coping nor social support moderated the association between trauma and internalizing symptoms or COVID-19 related stress. This study highlights the need for further examination of the various dimensions of religion and social support that aid in coping strategies for Black youth exposed to traumatic events.