Trauma and the role of colorism in racial microaggressions

This study examined the relationship between skin color, racial microaggressions, and racial trauma among 403 university students of color. We hypothesized that those with darker skin tones, as indicated by lower numeric scores on a self-report scale of skin shade, would experience a greater frequency of racial microaggressions, which in turn would be associated with elevated levels of racial trauma. Analyses revealed that self-rated skin color was significantly correlated with both microaggressions and racial trauma, supporting our hypothesis that darker skin is linked with higher race-based stress. ANOVA results indicated significant differences in both racial trauma and microaggression experiences across racial groups, with Black students reporting the highest levels. Moreover, a multiple regression analysis demonstrated that microaggressions robustly predicted severity of racial trauma, while the direct effect of skin color, although in the hypothesized direction, was attenuated when controlling for frequency of racial microaggressions. These findings suggest that the heightened racial trauma experienced by darker-skinned individuals may be largely attributable to their increased exposure to racial microaggressions, underscoring the role of microaggressions in potentiating colorism.