Category: Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders and Disasters
Brooks, V. R. (1981). Minority stress and lesbian women. D.C. Heath and Company.
, Dworkin, E. R., Gilmore, A. K., Bedard-Gilligan, M., Lehavot, K., Guttmannova, K., & Kaysen, D. (2018). Predicting PTSD severity from experiences of trauma and heterosexism in lesbian and bisexual women: A longitudinal study of cognitive mediators. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 65(3), 324-333. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000287., Salomaa, A. C., Livingston, N. A., Bryant, W. T., Herbitter, C., Harper, K., Sloan, C. A., Hinds, Z., Gyuro, L., Valentine, S. E., & Shipherd, J. C. (2022). A bottom-up approach to developing a unified trauma-minority stress model for transgender and gender diverse people. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001373, Fergerson, A. K., Karnick, A., Caulfield, N. M., Tennity, C. L., & Capron, D. W. (2003). The indirect effects of proximal stressors associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms severity among sexually victimized sexual minority women: A cross-sectional path analysis. Violence Against Women. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012231153362.Amie Newins, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
University of Central Florida
Orlando, Florida
Laura Wilson, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Associate Professor
University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Nicholas Livingston, Ph.D.
Assistant professor
Behavioral Science Division, National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Boston Healthcare System; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine School of Medicine
Boston, Massachusetts
Ava Fergerson, M.S. (she/they)
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Amie Newins, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
University of Central Florida
Orlando, Florida
Laura Wilson, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Associate Professor
University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Emily Dworkin, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Assistant Professor
University of Washington School of Medicine
Seattle, Washington
Robust research has documented that minoritized and marginalized communities have higher rates of mental and physical health difficulties (Mongelli et al., 2019; Williams et al., 2003). Minority stress theory posits that systemic inequalities and higher rates of victimization stemming from one’s stigmatized social status, as well as the expectations of future negative events and the internalization of one’s stigmatized position, account for these mental and physical health disparities (Brooks, 1981; Meyer, 2003). Despite evidence that both the objective external events (i.e., distal stressors) and subjective psychological processes (i.e., proximal stressors) associated with minority stress are relevant to understanding mental health outcomes in marginalized communities, there is ongoing debate within the field about how minority stressors should be conceptualized within the trauma literature and how minority stress theory should be incorporated into empirically supported cognitive behavioral treatments. To inform the field on these important and timely topics, this symposium will consist of four presentations on the mental health impact of sexual assault within minoritized and marginalized communities. The presentations will span several populations, including sexual, gender, and ethnic minorities. The content is also applicable to numerous clinical service-related topics, including barriers to care, best practices for assessment, and implementation of empirically supported psychotherapy. Overall, the aim of the symposium is to use empirical evidence to inform the support and services offered to populations who are often overlooked in research and may face discrimination when accessing care.
The first presenter, an exceptional doctoral student, will present on the moderating role of sexual trauma (vs. non-sexual trauma) in the associations between posttraumatic cognitions and PTSD symptoms among sexual minority women. The second presenter, an Associate Professor at an R1 university, will present on factors that impact how Latine sexual assault survivors conceptualize their sexual victimization. The third presenter, an Associate Professor at a small liberal arts university, will present on the mental health impact of sexual assaults that are perceived by transgender survivors to be hate crimes. The fourth presenter, an early career clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor, will present on a culturally-inclusive adaptation of a post-sexual assault intervention with special consideration of incorporating intersectional inclusivity early in the intervention development process. Finally, our discussant, a Research Psychologist who is an expert on trauma and minority stress, will synthesize the content of the presentations and offer a reflection on the current state of the literature. Particular emphasis will be placed on how these presentations inform models of trauma, the application of minority stress to clinical service delivery, and the development and delivery of empirically supported treatments.
