The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th edition) includes edits to Criterion A for posttraumatic stress disorder in an attempt to capture a wide variety of potentially traumatic events. However, despite criticism by scholars in the field (e.g., Kira, 2001;Gilfus, 1999;Helms, Nicolas, & Green, 2012) and overwhelming evidence documenting the negative impact of oppression on the mental health of its targets (e.g., Carter, 2007), the way in which Criterion A is written fails to include the insidious trauma of oppression. There is a small but compelling literature base that has demonstrated oppression to be a form of trauma by examining the relationship among various forms of oppression (e.g., racism, sexism, heterosexism) and trauma-related symptoms (e.g.,

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The link between socioeconomic status and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms is well established. Given that Black women are disproportionately burdened by both poverty and PTSD symptoms, research focusing on these constructs among this population is needed. The current study assessed the association between material hardship (i.e., difficulty meeting basic needs) and PTSD symptoms among 227 low‐income Black women in the United States. We explored several potential explanations for the association between poverty and PTSD symptoms (e.g., individuals living in poverty may experience higher levels of trauma exposure; individuals living in poverty may have less access to relevant protective resources, like social support; poverty itself may represent a traumatic stressor). Using robust negative binomial regression, a positive association between material hardship and PTSD symptoms emerged, B = 0.10, p = .009, SMD = 0.08. When trauma exposure was added to the model, it was positively associated with PTSD symptoms, B = 0.18, p < .001, SMD = 0.16, and material hardship remained positively associated with PTSD symptoms, B = 0.10, p =.019, SMD = 0.08. When social support indicators were added to the model, they were not associated with PTSD symptoms; however, material hardship remained significantly associated, B = 0.10, p = .021, SMD = 0.08. In the model with material hardship and trauma exposure, a significant interaction between material hardship and trauma exposure on PTSD symptoms emerged, B = −0.04, p = .027. These results demonstrate the importance of including material hardship in trauma research, assessment, and treatment.