Date of Graduation
Summer 2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Clinical Psychology (PsyD)
Department
Psychology
Committee Chairperson
Lauren Brumley, PhD
Committee Member
Lia O'Brien, PhD
Committee Member
Lauri Hyers, PhD
Abstract
Purpose: Childhood trauma has detrimental immediate and lifelong impacts on health. Black and African Americans experience higher rates of potentially traumatic events (PTEs) than the general population. Religiosity, a common coping mechanism for many who experience trauma, could serve to moderate the impacts. This study examines whether the importance of religion buffers against the impact of childhood exposure to PTEs on adult perceptions of health and assesses whether social support and/or coping mediate the relationship between religiosity and perceived health.
Method: This study analyzed data from 2,537 Black and African American participants in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Retrospective reports of childhood PTEs were from Waves III and IV, and data on demographics, importance of religion, religious service attendance, social support, coping, and perceived health were from Wave V.
Results: Greater childhood exposure to PTEs predicted poorer adult health perceptions. Importance of religion did not buffer this association, though religious service attendance showed a small promotive effect on perceived health. Mediation analyses indicated that religiosity, particularly service attendance, promoted better health perceptions partly through greater emotional support, specifically having people to talk to. Coping did not mediate these associations, and trauma consistently predicted lower support and poorer coping.
Conclusion: Findings support the essential role of social support for Black and African Americans. Although religiosity did not buffer against the impact of PTEs, this study highlights the importance of emotional support through religious systems and the need for culturally-sensitive interventions which include community-based support systems.
Final Version Confirmation
1
Recommended Citation
Penrose, Patrice, "Impact of Childhood Trauma on Perceptions of Health: Examining the Role of Religiosity as a Protective Factor among Black and African American Adults" (2026). West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects. 95.
https://digitalcommons.wcupa.edu/all_capstones/95
Included in
Inequality and Stratification Commons, Multicultural Psychology Commons, Other Psychology Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Social Psychology Commons, Sociology of Religion Commons