3 - (SYM 98) Additive Impact of Racial Discrimination and Trauma Exposure on Symptoms of PTSD and Discrimination-related Stress

A growing body of research has shown that more frequent experiences of racial discrimination are associated with greater PTSD symptom severity and discrimination-related stress (Kirkinis et al., 2018; Williams et al., 2019). Less is known, however, about the relative impact of different types of discrimination experiences, which can range from everyday slights that form a chronic stressor (e.g., being ignored due to race or ethnicity) to major events akin to, and often overlapping with, DSM-defined criterion A traumas (e.g., being physically threatened due to race or ethnicity). Accordingly, the present study examined the effects of day-to-day discrimination, cumulative exposure to major race- or ethnicity related discrimination events, and lifetime criterion A trauma exposure on symptoms of PTSD and discrimination stress. Structural equation models were used to examine data from 651 veterans of color (i.e., identifying a non-White race and/or Hispanic/Latinx ethnicity) who completed questionnaires assessing the above constructs. Results showed that trauma exposure, everyday discrimination, and major race-related events independently predicted both PTSD symptoms and discrimination-related stress (p’s < 001), with similar effect sizes for both everyday discrimination and major race-related events. Mediation analyses indicated there were significant indirect effects of everyday discrimination (β =.19, SE = .02, p < .001) and race-related events (β = 0.23, SE = .03, p < .001) on PTSD symptoms via discrimination stress. In parallel, trauma exposure had a significant indirect effect on discrimination stress via PTSD severity (β = 0.16, SE = .02, p < .001). Results highlight the additive impact of trauma exposure and experiences of discrimination on symptoms of PTSD and discrimination stress among veterans of color. Moreover, such symptoms appear to be impacted similarly by everyday discrimination and cumulative exposure to major racist events. Findings illustrate the importance of assessing a wide array of discrimination experiences and associated stress for understanding the factors contributing to PTSD symptoms among BIPOC individuals.