The Application of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome to Three Traumatized Cultural Groups

The present study examined the applicability of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS), a theory of transgenerational trauma, to three traumatized cultural groups. PTSS asserts African Americans have diminished self-esteem and elevated anger and are socialized to manage a racist society due to the history of slavery and discrimination that continues through present times. The current study assessed these three factors in African Americans and two other traumatized cultural groups: Holocaust survivor offspring and Japanese Internment survivor offspring. 95 participants (32 African Americans, 33 Holocaust survivor offspring, and 30 Internment survivor offspring) completed an online survey assessing self-esteem, trait anger, and ethnic/racial socialization. In order to determine possible differences between these groups, a MANOVA was conducted and no significant differences were found between the cultural groups. The current study also assessed differences in self-esteem, anger, and ethnic/racial socialization between groups that experienced discrete trauma (Holocaust and Internment survivor offspring) and ongoing trauma (African Americans). A MANOVA was conducted to determine possible differences between the groups. Significant differences were only found for socialization practices. Those that experienced ongoing trauma reported higher levels of parental socialization practices than those that were in the discrete trauma group. ANCOVAs were conducted to assess for the influence of other factors on socialization differences. Income was the only demographic factor that significantly affected socialization. A significant inverse relationship between reported income level and parental socialization practices was determined. The current study did not find support for the assertions of PTSS that African Americans have diminished self-esteem or elevated trait anger. The current study supported the assertion that ethnic-racial socialization practices may be different based on type of trauma experienced by a cultural group. Clinically, the current study provides further evidence of the importance of understanding the impact of trauma to culturally groups, the potential disturbances in socialization, and the affect of socioeconomic status on this process. Limitations of this study include the small sample size, lack of available measures with norms for these cultural groups, and use of internet data collection.