For researchers using critical theory to study how racism shapes the experience of violence among Black American young adults, a critical gap has long existed: no known validated measurement tools designed specifically for this population.

A new open-access article co-authored by Boston University School of Social Work Professor Jennifer M. Gómez and Lars U. Johnson of the University of Texas at Arlington addresses that gap. Published in PLOS Mental Health, the study introduces and validates the Cultural Betrayal Multidimensional Inventory for Black American Young Adults, or CBMI-BAYA, a suite of questionnaires that measure how within-group violence affects Black American young adults in the context of anti-Black racism.

The inventory is grounded in cultural betrayal trauma theory, a framework developed by Gómez. The theory explores how violence perpetrated within a marginalized community carries a distinct and compounded harm, one that can shape whether survivors feel able to seek help from family, faith communities or formal systems, and whether they can access care years or decades later.

Drawing on data collected between 2018 and 2021 across two studies totaling nearly 1,000 Black American young adults, the CBMI-BAYA gives researchers, clinicians and practitioners a scientifically validated and culturally grounded foundation for studying violence, discrimination, and healing in this population. Because the article is open access, the research and questionnaires are freely available worldwide.

Read the full article in PLOS Mental Health

Learn More About Professor Jennifer M. Gómez’s Work