Novel Mixed-Method Research and Training in Racism-Related Trauma and Mental Health Disparities Among Black Youth

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The overall objective of the proposed K23 is to support Dr. Donte Bernard in acquiring the skills necessary to become an independent health disparities investigator with a program of research focused on the explication and reduction of the mental health sequelae associated with racism-related trauma among Black youth. Racism- related trauma represents a significant public health concern that is ubiquitous in the lives of Black youth. Yet, there is a lack of research that has disentangled the unique effects of racism-related trauma relative to other traumatic experiences. Moreover, a gap remains in the identification of culturally relevant constructs that may underlie the link between racism-related trauma and negative mental health outcomes and may serve as malleable targets for interventions to promote resiliency in the aftermath of racism-related events. The need for this high impact research—and, as such, highly trained clinical scientists to lead this research—is significant and consistent with NIMHD priorities to scientifically understand the causes of health disparity in order to improve the lives of racial and ethnic minority communities. The proposed K23 directly addresses these limitations through a promising candidate (with a strong foundation in racial discrimination research but need for additional training), a comprehensive Training Plan that is supported by a team of highly successful mentors and renowned research environment, and novel, mixed methods research, leveraging an active NIMH R01-funded longitudinal study on child victimization and mental health, to better understand (a) experiences and responses to race- related trauma (via qualitative methods); (b) the unique effect of racism-related trauma—above and beyond other psychosocial traumatic events—on internalizing and externalizing mental health sequalae; and (c) how racism- related vigilance and racial identity influence the relationship between racism-related trauma and mental health outcomes cross sectionally and over time. Findings from these primary study aims will inform a preliminary outline for a treatment to promote mental health resiliency in the aftermath of racism-related trauma (Exploratory Aim). On-site mentors (Drs. Danielson, Hughes-Halbert, Moreland, and Mueller) have extensive knowledge in child traumatic stress research, including racism-related trauma, longitudinal and mixed-methods approaches, and intervention development and evaluation. An off-site mentor (Dr. Joe at Washington University in St. Louis) will provide additional guidance in race-related mechanisms and examinations of externalizing mental health in relation to racism-related experiences. The mentorship, coursework, seminars, workshops, and national conference attendance afforded by the K23 will ensure that the candidate achieves numerous training goals, such as enhancing knowledge of racism-related trauma; developing expertise in race-related mechanisms that may undergird the relationship between racism-related trauma and mental health; and developing competence in qualitative and mixed methods. The K23 activities will prepare Dr. Bernard to lead a program of high impact, rigorously designed mental health disparities research focusing on racism-related trauma among Black youth.