U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

Racial/Ethnic Differences Moderate Associations of Coping Strategies and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Clusters Among Women Experiencing Partner Violence: a Multigroup Path Analysis

NCJ Number
252444
Journal
Anxiety Stress and Coping Volume: 30 Issue: 3 Dated: 2017 Pages: 347-363
Date Published
2017
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Since past research underscores the key role of coping strategies in the development, maintenance, and exacerbation of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, the current study extended existing literature by examining whether race/ethnicity moderates the relations among coping strategies (social support, problem-solving, avoidance) and PTSD symptom clusters (intrusion, avoidance, numbing, arousal).
Abstract

Study participants were 369 community women (134 African Americans, 131 Latinas, and 104 Whites) who reported bidirectional aggression with a current male partner. Multigroup path analysis was utilized to test the moderating role of race/ethnicity in a model linking coping strategies to PTSD symptom clusters. The study found that the strength and direction of relations among coping strategies and PTSD symptom clusters varied as a function of race/ethnicity. Greater social support coping was related to more arousal symptoms for Latinas and Whites. Greater problem-solving coping was related to fewer arousal symptoms for Latinas. Greater avoidance coping was related to more symptoms across many of the PTSD clusters for African Americans, Latinas, and Whites; however, these relations were strongest for African Americans. These results provide support for the moderating role of race/ethnicity in the relations among coping strategies and PTSD symptom clusters, and highlight potential targets for culturally informed PTSD treatments. (Publisher abstract modified)

Date Published: January 1, 2017