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Citation |
Smith JR, Patton DU. Am. J. Orthopsychiatry 2016; 86(2): 212-223. |
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Affiliation |
School of Social Work, Columbia University. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2016, American Orthopsychiatric Association, Publisher Wiley Blackwell) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
26963344 |
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Abstract |
Concentrated disadvantage in urban communities places young Black men at disproportionate risk for exposure to violence and trauma. Homicide, a health disparity, positions Black males vulnerable to premature violent death and traumatic loss, particularly when peers are murdered. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been demonstrated as a health consequence for middle-income and White homicide survivors; however, understandings of traumatic stress among young Black men situated in contexts of chronic violence exposure remains limited. Guided by phenomenological variant of ecological systems theory (PVEST), the current study used in-depth qualitative interviews (average length: 90 min) to examine the presence and expression of traumatic stress symptoms among 37 young Black men (18-24) in Baltimore who experienced the homicide death of a loved one. Participants were recruited over 18 months through fieldwork at a large organization that serves Baltimore youth and young adults. Confidential participant interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed in ATLAS.ti. Pseudonyms were assigned to all participants. More than 70% of participants reported experiencing 2 or more Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-V)-defined posttraumatic stress symptoms. Hypervigilance was most frequently experienced and expressed as being on point. Language: en |