With so much content across social media around the pandemic and ongoing protests as well as outcries amongst systemic racism and police brutality, it’s important to understand the impact this has on one another and how this may exacerbate ongoing trauma responses. 

Social Media + Trauma + Race

Nixon, Han, Mejia, and Dorfman (2018) analyzed content across tweets on Twitter around childhood trauma and race, as well as tweets about racism and trauma. The researchers found that Twitter conversations about childhood trauma and race did not connect largely with one another – meaning tweets about one did not really mention the other. Nixon and colleagues (2018) found conversations on Twitter about race and trauma rarely included strategies or suggestions to address these major concerns. 

However, connections were observed between the experiences of children of color and structural racism as related to police violence and the 2016 election (Nixon et al., 2018). Tweets that discussed trauma and racism also discussed the depth and impact of trauma as a result of issues like police violence. However, these posts were limited in scope with few people engaging in the conversations. 

Themes + Connections

What does this all mean? There is room to talk about childhood trauma and structural conversations, especially on social media platforms that have the ability to reach widespread audiences. Individuals have the opportunity to build these conversations online to be more open about these topics and guide more people toward engaging in constructive dialogue with authenticity. 

How Can You Help?

• Look into building out your networks and elevating conversations that make connections between structural racism and trauma.

• Listen and engage in conversations online about trauma and racism that are already happening, before creating your own posts, particularly when these conversations take place within communities of color that are disproportionately impacted by trauma

• Focus on the authentic voices who are talking about these issues so you can take note in these conversations as they happen.

• Follow social media accounts that focus on social justice issues and elevate these voices by replying to, commenting on, retweeting, or liking posts that make crucial points around trauma and racism.

• Discuss childhood trauma with a racial equity lens. Work to expand the conversations between trauma and how it affects children of color in disproportionate ways.

Supporting authentic voices within the online space and promoting knowledge around these connections promotes continued openness to discussing trauma in social media conversations and ways in which to provide support.

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