Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Maltreated Multiracial Youth

Lemos-Miller and Kearney (2006) first identified depression as a meditator of (1) dissociation and posttraumatic cognitions and (2) PTSD in maltreated children. In addition, they found that African American status weakened the mediating relationship, whereas multiracial status strengthened the mediating relationship. Multiracial youth in Lemos-Miller and Kearney\u27s study experienced a stronger relationship between depression and PTSD than other ethnic groups. The present study evaluated the Lemos-Miller and Kearney (2006) model of PTSD among a larger sample of multiracial youth. The present study sought to identify whether the Lemos-Miller and Kearney (2006) finding regarding multiracial youth could be replicated. The presented study also evaluated the mediating potential of family environment, dissociation, and posttraumatic cognitions vis-a-vis this model. The Lemos-Miller and Kearney model of PTSD met goodness-of-fit criteria when dissociation and posttraumatic cognitions were examined separately. The model did not meet goodness-of-fit criteria when family cohesion, family conflict, dissociation, and posttraumatic cognitions were examined as mediator variables. Findings and clinical implications are discussed