Questions for the Study of Discrimination and Social Maltreatment in Victimization Research

Research to date suggests that exposure to social discrimination and maltreatment (SDM), for example, racism, sexism, antisemitism, and anti-LGBTQ+ behaviors, is associated with a variety of psychosocial symptoms and problems in the general population. Unfortunately, studies on SDM and its effects lag behind those examining other forms of interpersonal victimization. Questions examined in this paper include why SDM research should be increased, how SDM should be operationalized, and how the association between SDM and symptomatology can best be investigated given its overlap with other related variables, including trauma exposure and poverty.