Defense Date

7-25-2026

Graduation Date

Summer 8-7-2026

Availability

Immediate Access

Submission Type

thesis

Degree Name

MA

School

McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts

Committee Chair

Cathleen Appelt

Committee Member

Tara Pavlocak

Abstract

The adverse effects of trauma, particularly among youth who identify as Black, is a critical issue. This study investigated the relationship between race and trauma symptomology among children and adolescents who received weekly trauma therapy. With the use of clinical assessment data, this study sought to determine whether Black youth presented to treatment with higher trauma acuity than non-Black youth and if there were disparate outcomes in symptomology after treatment. The results indicated that on average, Black youth presented to treatment with lower trauma acuity than non-Black youth, and there were disparate outcomes in trauma symptomology between the two racial groups after receiving therapy. Ultimately, this study provided insight on race’s role in trauma symptomology and the magnitude of social and cultural contextualization when examining mental health treatment among diverse populations.

Language

English

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Sociology Commons

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