The Center for Collaborative Study of Trauma, Health Equity, and Neurobiology

Everyday Discrimination

EVERYDAY DISCRIMINATION is the scientific measurement of a person’s life experience of daily discrimination.

The EVERYDAY DISCRIMINATION SCALE was developed by David R Williams, PhD in 1997 and has been used in over 100 scientific research studies. 

Visit THEN's RESOURCE Page on Everyday Discrimination for Scientific References.

 
Click to RETURN
to Main Glossary

Everyday Discrimination Scale

In your day-to-day life how often do these happen to you?
  •  You are treated with less courtesy than other people.
  •  You are treated with less respect than other people.
  •  You receive poorer service than other people at restaurants or stores.
  •  People act as if they think you are not smart.
  •  People act as if they are afraid of you.
  •  People act as if they think you are dishonest.
  •  People act as if they’re better than you are.
  •  You are called names or insulted.
  •  You are threatened or harassed.
What do you think was the main reason for these experiences?

As described by Heather Hall, MD, the experience of DISCRIMINATION can result in a “double dose” of TRAUMA for excluded persons. 
The concept of DOUBLE DOSE helps us appreciate that in addition to possible personal or family adversity (such as physical abuse or growing up with a parent with substance abuse), persons who experience day-in/day-out Everyday Discrimination have a greater amount of CUMULATIVE TRAUMA - and therefore more impact on health.

EVERYDAY DISCRIMIATION is a COMPLEX TRAUMA (severe in intensity and chronic in duration).  
High rates of experience of EVERYDAY DISCRIMINATION have been shown to correlate with incidence of many serious diseases including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and maternal mortality.

test