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Author ORCID Identifier
Date Available
6-1-2028
Year of Publication
2025
Document Type
Capstone
Degree Name
Doctor of Social Work (DSW)
College
Social Work
Department/School/Program
Social Work
Faculty
Laura E. Escobar-Ratliff
Abstract
This capstone project examines intergenerational trauma among Black women and families, advancing the position that trauma must be understood as historically rooted, structurally reinforced, relationally transmitted, and biologically embedded rather than as an isolated individual experience. Trauma is not simply something a person goes through; it is carried, learned, and reinforced across generations. By integrating a systematic literature review, a conceptual paper, and a practice application, this work presents a comprehensive understanding of how trauma operates over time and identifies more effective directions for clinical social work practice. The systematic literature review synthesizes interdisciplinary research on intergenerational trauma and epigenetic processes, demonstrating that transmission occurs through interconnected psychosocial and biological pathways. Findings link chronic exposure to racialized and gendered stress with anxiety, depression, emotional suppression, and relational strain, while shaping family dynamics through parenting practices, communication patterns, and inherited expectations of coping. Emerging evidence also indicates that stress can become biologically embedded through mechanisms such as DNA methylation, highlighting that trauma is experienced psychologically and regulated physiologically. Despite this depth of knowledge, many interventions continue to address biological stress, family processes, and structural influences separately, limiting their ability to address intergenerational patterns in a meaningful way. The conceptual paper addresses this limitation through the development of the RECLAIM Framework, which includes Resilience, Epigenetics, Cultural Liberation, Ancestry, Integration, and Meaning-Making. This model brings together structural, relational, cultural, and biological perspectives into a unified approach that positions trauma as both lived and embodied while avoiding deterministic interpretations. Stress responses are reframed as adaptive patterns shaped by context and capable of change. The framework also examines culturally reinforced expectations of strength, recognizing their role in both survival and psychological burden, while creating space for vulnerability and healing. Building on this foundation, the practice application translates RECLAIM into a structured, family-informed clinical intervention. Core components include psychoeducation on stress and epigenetics, narrative mapping of intergenerational patterns, somatic regulation strategies, and relational recalibration through family-informed work when appropriate. The focus extends beyond symptom relief to directly address transmission processes, supporting changes in emotional regulation, relationship patterns, and meaning-making. Taken together, this capstone demonstrates that trauma among Black women is sustained through the interaction of structural inequities, family systems, cultural expectations, and physiological stress responses. Current trauma-informed approaches remain limited when applied at the individual level alone. This work contributes to clinical social work by offering RECLAIM as a culturally responsive and integrative framework that improves outcomes by disrupting patterns that sustain trauma across generations and promoting multigenerational healing.
Keywords: intergenerational trauma, Black women, epigenetics, trauma-informed care, RECLAIM framework, culturally responsive practice
Recommended Citation
Cleveland, Chiquita J., "Beneath the Strength: Exploring Intergenerational Trauma and Epigenetics in Black Women and Their Impacts on Family, Mental Health, and Trauma-Informed Care" (2025). DSW Capstone Projects. 81.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/csw_grad_reports/81
