Document Type

Honors Thesis

Major

Psychology

Advisor(s)

Jennifer Blossom, Patricia Goodhines

Committee Members

Sabrina DeTurk, Jennifer McNulty

Graduation Year

May 2025

Publication Date

8-2025

Abstract

Substance use among adolescents with co-occurring mental health concerns remains a pressing matter in our society. Early exposure to trauma has been strongly associated with more severe substance use outcomes, yet these patterns may not be the same across youth. Racial and ethnic minority (REM) adolescents may face disproportionate risk due to the compounding stress of discrimination and race-based trauma. The present study aimed to examine whether REM identity moderated the relationship between cumulative trauma exposure and substance use severity in a sample of adolescents receiving inpatient care. Two moderation analyses were conducted to examine whether the number of traumatic events experienced predicted substance use severity, and whether this relationship varied based on REM identity. Results indicated that greater trauma exposure significantly predicted substance use severity at both baseline and one-month post-discharge. However, REM identity did not significantly moderate this relationship in either model. While not significant, the findings highlight the elevated trauma exposure and elevated risks of substance use severity within REM adolescents.

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