RACIST EVENTS AND POST-RAPE DISCLOSURE PATTERNS IN BLACK COLLEGE STUDENTS

Abstract

The relationship between racial identity well-being (psychological, emotional, social, and physical health), experiences and appraisal of racist events, and the behaviors that follow rape have been substantive areas of interest for a considerable number of researchers. However, the interactions among these research areas have received only limited attention in the contemporary psychological literature. Using a series of multinomial-logistic regression models with a sample size of 387 Black college students, this study explored the relationship between Black students’ experience with racist events and the disclosure choices they would select subsequent to a rape. The moderating effect of racial identity was explored as well. Results indicated that there is a relationship between experiences with racism and the types of post-rape disclosure choices selected and that one’s racial identity centrality impacts this relationship. Specifically, when Racial Centrality was entered into each model (Recent, Lifetime, and Appraised Level of Stressfulness), both traditional (System) and non-traditional (Non-System) reporting options were more likely to be selected than ‘System’ and ‘Non-System’ disclosure choices alone. Among the models, the relationship between one’s appraised level of stress due to the experience of racist events and disclosure choices was found to be more influenced by Racial Centrality, that the relations between recent and lifetime experiences with racism and disclosure choices.