Systematic Review: The Association Between Race-Related Stress and Trauma and Emotion Dysregulation in Youth of Color

Abstract

This systematic review aims to summarize the current state of knowledge on the relations between race-related stress and trauma (RST) and emotion dysregulation, synthesize empirical research examining these associations in youth of color, and discuss clinical implications. We searched PubMed, ProQuest PsycInfo, and Web of Science for relevant articles on June 24, 2021. Eligible studies were empirical studies in peer-reviewed journals or from gray literature. They included a sample of participants (5-24 years of age) from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds and at least 1 measure of RST and emotion dysregulation. We evaluated target studies using the Quality Assessment for Diverse Studies and extracted information on associations between RST and emotion dysregulation, as well as mediators and moderators. Ultimately, 29 studies (78,173 participants) met inclusion criteria. A total of 28 studies were correlational, 16 were cross-sectional, and 12 were longitudinal. Greater RST was linked to greater emotion dysregulation in 78% of observed associations. Remaining associations were not significant. Relationships were mediated by types of coping, biological factors, and identity factors. RST was also related to several wellbeing outcomes through its relations with emotion dysregulation. Results consistently demonstrated that greater exposure to RST is related to greater emotion dysregulation and decreased wellbeing in youth of color. These findings suggest that clinicians should incorporate the role of RST in case conceptualizations and treatment plans for this population. Future research should use multidimensional measures of RST and include experimental studies to examine the causal relationship between RST and emotion dysregulation.