The Vicarious Intersectional Trauma (VIT) Conceptual Model: A Framework for Studying the Health-Related Impact of Exposure to Intersectional Violence on Social-Media

Abstract

Social media platforms (i.e., Twitter, Tik Tok, YouTube, Snapchat) transmit traumatic imagery of racist encounters that dehumanize racially marginalized Americans. Behavioral and social sciences have long documented the adverse effects of media on young adults which include negative physical and mental health outcomes. However, evidence is sparse on the health-related impact of viewing gender-specific, racially motivated violence via social media. Through an interdisciplinary approach, with theories from psychology, sociology, and communications, we propose a novel framework called the Vicarious Intersectional Trauma (VIT) Conceptual Model. The proposed model situates the Racial Encounter Coping Appraisal and Socialization Theory (RECAST) as a foundational theory understanding the pathways by which traumatic racial encounters impact health among Black Americans. We expand on RECAST by integrating Agenda Setting Theory, Cultivation Theory, and Intersectionality Theory, to facilitate a better understanding of the health-related implications of consuming intersectional violence on social media. Our interdisciplinary work contributes to literature promoting health equity by expanding an existing theory to address the intersections of gender and race on the perception of traumatic imagery and how gendered-racial socialization affects subsequent coping mechanisms.