Racial Trauma, Racial Pride, and the Role of Racial Identity Stages

Racial trauma, racial pride, and racial identity statuses are emerging topics of interest in psychology, but little research has been conducted on how they interact with each other. Utilizing survey research methods, this study aimed to determine the complex interactions between these constructs in Black adults in the United States. Participants completed the Cross Racial Identity Scale, the Black Pride Scale, and the Racial Trauma Scale Short-Form Version. Moderation and mediation analyses were conducted to evaluate how racial trauma and racial identity predict racial pride. This study found a moderated mediation model which significantly predicts racial pride. In this model, Afrocentricity was found to moderate the direct path between racial trauma and racial pride, while Self-Hatred acted as a mediator in this relationship. Individuals with high levels of Afrocentricity exhibit stable levels of racial pride, while those with low levels of Afrocentricity exhibit a direct relationship between racial trauma and racial pride. Overall, this study identified a highly significant model of the relationship between racial trauma and racial pride, and elucidated the role of racial identity stages in this relationship.