It’s More Than Skin-Deep: Gendered Racial Microaggressions, Skin Tone Satisfaction, and Traumatic Stress Symptoms Among Black Women

Abstract

This study examined the moderating effects of skin tone and skin tone satisfaction on the relations between gendered racial microaggressions and traumatic stress symptoms among self-identified Black women between 18 and 50 years old ( N = 237). It was hypothesized that skin tone and skin tone satisfaction would moderate the relation between gendered racial microaggressions and traumatic stress, such that having a darker skin tone and lower levels of skin tone satisfaction would exacerbate the association between gendered racial microaggressions and traumatic stress symptoms. Results from two hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses indicated skin tone satisfaction significantly moderated the association between gendered racial microaggressions and traumatic stress symptoms, whereas skin tone did not. Findings suggest that skin tone satisfaction may play a bigger role in buffering or exacerbating the link between gendered racial microaggressions and mental health among Black women than skin tone alone. The results can inform future research and clinical practice on the important role of skin tone satisfaction in the link between gendered racial microaggressions and traumatic stress among Black women.