Race and Ethnicity

Empirical evidence shows consistent elevations in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence for Black and Native American (and, to some extent, Latino American) trauma survivors in comparison to their White and Asian American counterparts. Certain subgroups within these larger groups (e.g., Caribbean Blacks and Latinos, Southeast Asians, sexual minorities) appear to show greater risk than the rest of their group members. Ethnoracial disparities in PTSD appear to be partially accounted for by disparities in trauma exposure, racial discrimination, coping style, and cultural expressive style. Ethnoracial minorities also show lower utilization of professional PTSD treatment, even though most evidence suggests that these therapies can be equally effective for all ethnoracial groups. Culturally adapted PTSD therapies have been proposed that may encourage greater utilization of evidence-based trauma treatments and thereby reduce ethnoracial disparities in PTSD.