(PS8-B33) Do Socioeconomic Status and Race Moderate the Relationship Between Traumatic Life Events and Eating Pathology?

Extant literature suggests an association between trauma and the development of eating pathology, maintained through mechanisms like emotional dysregulation. There are known differences in traumatic experiences across both socioeconomic status (SES) and race. Specifically, having a low SES or systematically marginalized racial identity increases exposure to traumatic life events. However, little is known about how the intersection between SES and race impacts the relationship between trauma and eating pathology. Therefore, we examined the combination of SES and race as a moderator of the relationship between trauma and disordered eating constructs. 843 undergraduate students (M_age=19.81±2.09; Female=79.12%; White=67.02%; Asian=16.25%; Black=16.73%) were assessed from January 2020-February 2022 for SES (parent household income; Range=$0-2,700,000), disordered eating constructs (global disordered eating, restraint, eating, shape, and weight concerns; Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire), and experienced or witnessed traumatic life events (Life Events Checklist, LEC-5). SES was dichotomized as high versus low based on the median US income ($79,900). Dichotomized SES was combined with racial identity to create 6 distinct intersectional categories (e.g., White individuals with high versus low SES, Black individuals with high versus low SES, and Asian individuals with high versus low SES). Moderated regression analyses were then conducted to assess the intersection of SES and race as a moderator of the relationship between trauma and eating pathology. When compared to White individuals with high SES, Asian individuals with high SES showed increased levels of restraint across experienced traumatic events (β = .11, p = 0.04).  However, the interaction between SES, racial identity, and experienced traumatic life events did not significantly predict overall disordered eating, eating, shape, or weight concerns (all p's > .05)..The interaction between SES, racial identity, and witnessed traumatic life events did not significantly predict overall disordered eating constructs, restraint, eating, shape, or weight concerns (all p's > .05). Results suggest that the intersection between SES and race does not moderate the relationship between traumatic life events and the development of eating pathology. However, results suggest a unique relationship for Asian individuals with high SES compared to White individuals with high SES, such that Asian individuals with high SES show increased levels of dietary restraint with increased experiences of traumatic life events. As data for this study was collected primarily during the COVID-19 era, the racism perpetuated toward the Asian community during this time may contribute to these results. Relatedly, an important limitation to this study is that the LEC-5 assesses traumatic events without accounting for specific traumas experienced by those of low SES (e.g., food insecurity) or marginalized racial identity (e.g., racism). Future research should therefore explore traumas associated with having a systemically oppressed identity.