Can trigger warnings before videos of police violence on social media attenuate anxiety responses for people of color?

Abstract

Building on previous research around trigger warnings, this study sought to examine how trigger warnings affected anxiety levels for people of color before videos of police violence that circulate on social media. Results showed that trigger warnings had no significant effect on anxiety levels for participants who identified as Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, and Multi-Cultural (overall, there were average decreases in anxiety levels for participants of color, but not at a rate that showed significance); by contrast, trigger warnings did seem to significantly increase anxiety levels for participants who identified as White. Trigger warnings appeared to reduce anxiety levels for those who reported belonging to the LGBTQ+ community significantly more than those who did not report identifying with the LGBTQ+ community. And there was a significant correlation between trigger warnings and reduced anxiety levels for those who reported a history of arrest or violent encounters with law enforcement. Further study should be conducted, with a particular focus on historically marginalized communities, to further clarify and confirm these findings. Additionally, calls for stopping the use of trigger warnings should be reassessed, considering they may affect traditionally underserved communities online differently than those with historical privilege.