Since 2000, suicide rates among Black adolescents have surged by 78%, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This rise is particularly alarming given that Black youth are disproportionately exposed to chronic stressors such as community violence, racial discrimination, and a higher prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)—all of which are strongly linked to suicidality and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Social connectedness, defined as one’s perceived availability of supportive relationships, is empirically recognized as a protective factor in trauma recovery. However, existing research tends to emphasize the presence of support without addressing how accessible or functional those supports are in the lives of marginalized youth. For Black adolescents in particular, identity may shape the availability of social support and its effectiveness in buffering against trauma-related distress. This study used a cross-sectional design to conduct a secondary analysis of de-identified baseline data from 124 trauma-exposed youth, ages 5 to 19, who received services through the Child and Families Healing After Trauma Clinic at Rutgers University between 2017 and 2024. By examining this interaction, the study aims to clarify how Black identity influences both trauma responses and the protective power of social connectedness—informing more culturally responsive interventions for marginalized adolescents.
