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Visual Summary: Trauma, Discrimination, and PTSD in Youth of Color
(Alvis et al., 2025 – Published in JAACAP)

Venn diagram showing trauma and discrimination overlap among youth of color, with 66% reporting both. Arrow leads to icons representing posttraumatic stress symptoms. Visual abstract from Alvis et al., 2025.

This visual summary presents key findings from a peer-reviewed study of Black and Latino/a/x youth seeking mental health services, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Alvis et al., 2025).

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Key insight:

  • Nearly two-thirds of youth reported exposure to both trauma and discrimination.

  • The study demonstrates that co-occurring trauma and discrimination—including subtle forms such as microaggressions—are uniquely associated with more severe posttraumatic stress symptoms. These findings underscore the importance of integrating culturally responsive, trauma- and discrimination-informed approaches in mental health care for youth of color.​

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