College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

Spring 6-14-2024

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Kathryn Grant, PhD

Second Advisor

Jocelyn Carter, PhD

Abstract

Exposure to complex trauma can be understood as exposure to multiple and varied types of traumatic events, often chronic in nature. Exposure to complex trauma is prevalent among youth in the United States, especially youth living in urban environments and marginalized populations. Black youth who live in urban environments are of particular concern due to their increases susceptibility of exposure to community violence, entrenched poverty, and other sources of trauma at multiple levels, making them an appropriate population in which to examine PTG. the effect that these exposures have on these youth should be acknowledged, it is necessary to also identify the potential for post traumatic growth (PTG) following exposure to complex trauma. PTG can be best conceptualized as the positive psychological change that occurs during the struggle to handle highly stressful life circumstances. This growth can occur in five main areas: 1. Appreciation of Life, 2. Relating to Others, 3. Personal Strength, 4. New Possibilities, and 5. Spiritual Change. PTG has been found consistently for youth exposed to acute trauma, however there is much to learn about the extent to which youth who have been exposed to complex trauma can experience PTG. In order to gain a better understanding of the process of growth among urban Black youth exposed to complex trauma, factors related to growth outcomes were the primary focus of the present study. Social support, active coping, and rumination were hypothesized to generate PTG outcomes in youth, interacting with exposure to complex trauma to predict PTG. Given that research has largely focused on the adverse effects of exposure to complex trauma, this study’s researcher sought to understand the positive growth process that occurs following exposure to complex trauma in an urban adolescent population.

This study is part of a larger study that included 400 adolescents (47% female and 53% male), grades six through 12, recruited from three urban schools. Data collection took place at two time points, six months apart, and included the Post Traumatic Growth measure, the Major Events measure, the System Levels Stressor measure, the Places I Spend Time measure, and the Responses to Stress Questionnaire. In the study, the researcher applied a moderated Participants in the current proposed study must identify as Black or African American. Based on this criterion, the sample for the current study included 140 Black or African American adolescents. In the study the researcher applied a moderated regression analysis to investigate the moderating effects of exposure to complex trauma, social support, and coping style on PTG outcomes both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Cross-sectional results did not indicate a statistically significant relationship between exposure to complex trauma and PTG for Black adolescents nor youth of all races and ethnicities more broadly, revealing no support for the hypothesized moderators to this relationship. Longitudinal analyses did not indicate a statistically significant relationship between exposure to complex trauma and PTG among Black adolescents nor all races and ethnicities broadly but did reveal support for active coping as a moderator to this relationship among Black adolescents.

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