Award Date

12-1-2021

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

First Committee Member

Christopher Kearney

Second Committee Member

Paul Nelson

Third Committee Member

Murray Millar

Fourth Committee Member

Wendy Hoskins

Number of Pages

154

Abstract

Multiracial youth are one of the most at-risk racial groups for child maltreatment. Multiracial individuals are also more likely to report mental health concerns than other racial or ethnic groups. This study aimed to identify demographic and psychological risk factors that are unique to multiracial, maltreated youth with respect to PTSD symptoms (i.e., re-experiencing, hyperarousal, avoidance) through classification and regression tree (CART) analyses. Participants included 99 multiracial, maltreated youth directly following their placement in an emergency group shelter due to substantiated maltreatment. The first hypothesis was that female gender, English first language, questions related to guilt and self-blame, and depressive symptoms would predict re-experiencing symptoms. The second hypothesis was that sexual maltreatment and questions related to interpersonal difficulties, negative cognitions about self, and dissociation would predict avoidance symptoms. The third hypothesis was that multiple traumas and questions related to internalized coping strategies, including isolation and resignation, and physical pain would predict hyperarousal symptoms. Hypotheses were partially supported. Feelings of tiredness and being self-religious were most predictive of re-experiencing symptoms. External locus of control, dissociative symptoms, emotion regulation, self-efficacy, and age were most predictive of avoidance symptoms. Lack of trust in others, age, and sexual maltreatment were most predictive of hyperarousal symptoms.

Keywords

Abuse; Adolescence; Culture; Ethnicity; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Race

Disciplines

Clinical Psychology | Developmental Psychology | Social Work

File Format

pdf

File Size

3400 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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