The relationship between posttraumatic symptoms and African American male students' third grade reading scores on standardized tests

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between posttraumatic symptoms and the third grade reading achievement of African American males on standardized tests. Parents of retained third grade and current fourth grade African American male students (n = 85) of two schools in Southeast Texas completed the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Young Children (TSCYC). Analysis included scores from the TSCYC and reading scale scores on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) for each student.
Four multiple regression analyses were conducted and resulted with the first hypothesis being partially accepted as posttraumatic symptom scales significantly predicted reading scale scores, r2 = .24, p < .03, with posttraumatic intrusion in the non-clinical group significantly predicting reading scale scores (sr2 = .15). The second hypothesis was partially accepted with trauma-related symptoms where the overall model was statistically significant, r2 = .28, p < .01, with anger/aggression having the greatest impact. There was no significant effect on reading scale scores in the clinical group. These findings have implications for school counselors, clinicians, counselor educators, teachers, and administrators.