Understanding the impact of racism in Canada using the Racial Trauma Scale.

OBJECTIVE: (RTS) is a novel self-assessment measure for quantifying distress symptoms due to racism. Using the RTS, this study aimed to understand the impact of racial trauma among racialized individuals residing in Canada. METHOD: A sample of 756 racially diverse participants from across Canada completed a battery of measures, RTS included, to establish the validity of the scale and better understand racial trauma in racialized Canadians. There were also significant differences in RTS scores across provinces, with the highest scores in the Atlantic region. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that clinicians can use the RTS to identify racism-related distress and symptoms to target for intervention. Results highlight the need for culturally informed assessment and intervention of this prevalent and debilitating condition. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).