Pilot study of buffering racial stress and trauma for youth exposed to maltreatment

NIH RePORTER · NIH · P50 · $388,072 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

ABSTRACT: PROJECT 3 Research Study 3 (EMBRace Pilot) is integrated into the TRANSFORM Center to promote translation of research findings into clinical interventions, to inform the next generation of research on child abuse and neglect (CAN), and to facilitate dissemination of research and practice knowledge/skills to varied stakeholders. The research utilizes a developmental psychopathology perspective, incorporating multiple methods within a lifespan framework and implementation science approach. Exposure to CAN frequently results in long-term detrimental effects on mental health. Disproportionate representation of Black youth in the Child Protective Services (CPS) and child welfare system is associated with health disparities. For youth who have experienced racial and ethnic marginalization, the trauma associated with CAN may be compounded by stress and trauma deriving from experiences of racism, discrimination, and other forms of oppression. Interventions to address racial stress for symptomatic youth receiving mental health services are lacking, and use of mental health services that are acceptable to Black families are too often misaligned with their representation in the population in general and overrepresentation in the child welfare system specifically. Incorporating support for families in enhancing racial socialization and coping skills specific to addressing racial stress and trauma has relevance for public health, where systemic racism is acknowledged as a core social determinant of health posing a threat to public health. Engaging, Managing, and Bonding through Race (EMBRace) is an innovative, culturally-relevant intervention for Black youth that addresses challenges associated with parenting Black children and aims to promote more effective strategies for addressing racial encounters through building skills in exploring racial socialization content, coping, and delivery. Although Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for children who have experienced CAN, determining best practices for enhancing TF-CBT with racial socialization components is urgently needed to address these gaps and provide optimal intervention for this population. A RE-AIM/PRISM framework (including Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance with emphasis on contextual factors at multiple levels of the implementation setting) will incorporate stakeholder perspectives and evaluate the combination of EMBRace and TF-CBT, while identifying barriers and facilitators to implementation to guide future larger-scale trials.

Key facts

NIH application ID
10917098
Project number
5P50HD096698-07
Recipient
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
Principal Investigator
Sheree Lynn Toth
Activity code
P50
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2024
Award amount
$388,072
Award type
5
Project period
2018-09-13 → 2028-08-31