Trauma, Repression, and Resistance: A Critical Psychological Lens on Puerto Rico's Colonial Past

Abstract

This paper examines the psychological effects of U.S. colonial repression in Puerto Rico through a historical trauma lens, framing resistance history as a trauma narrative that shapes identity, collective memory, and mental health. Drawing on decolonial psychology, liberation psychology, and trauma-informed frameworks, the analysis traces how events such as the Ley de la Mordaza, FBI surveillance (“Las Carpetas”), forced sterilization campaigns, and the persecution of nationalist leaders have contributed to fear-based self-censorship, internalized colonial oppression, and intergenerational psychological distress.

By situating symptoms like anxiety, depression, and identity conflict within the sociopolitical context of colonial domination, the paper critiques the ahistoricism of traditional Eurocentric psychological models and emphasizes the need for culturally relevant interventions. Empirical studies are reviewed that demonstrate how practices like decolonial naming and historical education in therapy can improve outcomes for Puerto Rican clients by reframing pathology as resistance to systemic oppression.

The paper concludes with implications for psychology practitioners, researchers, and policymakers, calling for therapeutic approaches that validate cultural identity, historicize trauma, and promote collective healing. Future research directions include the development of clinical models that incorporate resistance narratives, community healing practices, and culturally grounded understandings of political trauma. By centering the Puerto Rican experience, this paper contributes to broader efforts to decolonize psychology and amplify Indigenous and colonized voices within global mental health discourse.