Date of Award
Spring 2026
Document Type
Open Access Thesis
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Guillermo Wippold
Abstract
Structural racism creates societal conditions in which Black youth are disproportionately exposed to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). This, in turn, increases Black youth’s risk for poor psychological well-being and increased stress. Despite these structural challenges, Black youth hold cultural strengths (e.g., culturally relevant coping, such as spiritual and communal coping) that support their resilience in the face of adversity. However, the current literature has primarily focused on race-related adversity (as opposed to a comprehensive assessment of ACEs) and has not fully integrated these cultural strengths into a broader comprehensive ACEs framework. Therefore, the present study sought to examine the role of culturally relevant coping in promoting the psychological well-being of Black youth experiencing ACEs. The current sample included 256 Black adolescents (63% female, Mage = 18.36). Controlling for age and sex at birth, moderation analyses indicated that increased ACE exposure was significantly associated with higher perceived stress (B = .80, SE = .12, p < .001). However, the interaction terms testing perceived stress by spiritual and communal coping as a moderator of this relationship was not statistically significant. Consistent with current literature, ACE exposure was linked to higher perceived stress among Black youth. Further research is needed to understand the role and other mechanisms through which cultural strengths may support Black youth’s resilience when experiencing adversity. Keywords: Adverse Childhood Experiences, Culturally Relevant Coping, Black Youth
Rights
© 2026, Kalyn D. Prothro
Recommended Citation
Prothro, K. D.(2026). Examining Cultural Coping as a Pathway to Resilience for Black Youth Experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). (Master's thesis). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/8926