The contribution of social media toward racial trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder in Black Americans: a forensic perspective

Abstract

ABSTRACT In recent years, there has been a barrage of social media posts about police brutality toward Black Americans. While the posting of police brutality videos on social media can certainly have a positive impact on legal cases and public policies, what effect does the exposure have on the mental health of Black Americans? This article uses a review of the literature to investigate the reasons why Black Americans can be significantly impacted by exposure to police brutality videos. It also includes a case study of a Black American male who developed posttraumatic stress disorder in response to such videos in the context of a forensic evaluation.