Racial Trauma, Loneliness, and Disordered Eating Among Racially/Ethnically Minoritized College Students

Although research has examined associations between experiences of discrimination and disordered eating, less is known about what may explain this link. Thus, the present study examined links between racial trauma, loneliness, and disordered eating among a large sample of racially/ethnically minoritized college students. Participants included 30,377 college students self-identifying as people of color (POC) from the 2022-2023 Healthy Minds Study. Results indicated that racial trauma and loneliness were significant predictors of disordered eating, after controlling for age, gender, and financial stress. In addition, loneliness explained the link between racial trauma and disordered eating. Findings suggest the need for culturally responsive therapeutic services when psychologists are working with racially/ethnically minoritized college students with disordered eating.