Discrimination Hurts: The Academic, Psychological, and Physical Well-Being of Adolescents

Abstract

Little is known about the frequency of ethnic or racial discrimination and its implications for Latin American and Asian youths' development. In this study, we examined if there were ethnic and generation differences among 601 12th graders from Latin American (36%), Asian (43%), and European (19%) backgrounds in the frequency of peer, adult, and daily discrimination, and whether discrimination predicted their well-being. Adolescents from Latin American and Asian backgrounds reported more adult and peer discrimination than their peers from European backgrounds. Latin American youth reported more adult discrimination than their Asian peers. Discrimination predicted lower grade point averages and self-esteem, and more depressive symptoms, distress, and physical complaints. Ethnic identity, ethnic socialization, and race rejection sensitivity did not moderate the associations between discrimination and well-being.Ethnic minority children are both aware of and perceive discrimination in many contexts. As such, discrimination is likely to be an important factor to consider in the development of ethnic minority children and adolescents (Garciá Coll et al., 1996). The ability for children to recognize discrimination depends on cognitive factors such as having mature classification and social comparison abilities to appraise an experience as discriminatory (Brown & Bigler, 2005). In addition, situational factors such as whether or not a child has relevant information about the perpetrator and individual differences such as knowledge of discrimination or group identity may also enable children to detect discrimination. Although seniors in high school are close to adult samples in cognitive capacities and in ability to recognize, understand, and make racial attributions about discrimination, these adolescents are distinct from adults because social identity is arguably more salient among teenagers who are struggling with defining who they are. This study focuses JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE, 20(4), 916-941 r

Perceived Ethnic Stigma Across the Transition to College

“…Consistent with previous research, young men reported more perceived discrimination than young women, possibly because men are stereotyped as dangerous and threatening (Greene et al 2006;Huynh and Fuligni 2010). However, men and women had similar perceptions of societal devaluation, suggesting that although men and women experience different frequencies of personal perceived discrimination, both genders are aware of the society's views and perceptions of their ethnic group.…”

“…Among adolescents, perceived discrimination consistently is associated most with psychological adjustment, including anxiety, depression, self-esteem, physical symptoms, delinquency, drug use, and distress (Fisher et al 2000;Gibbons et al 2007;Greene et al 2006;Huynh and Fuligni 2010;Samaniego and Gonzales 1999). Among Asian American and Latino college students, perceived discrimination is associated with higher psychological distress, suicidal ideation, state anxiety, trait anxiety, and depression (Hwang and Goto 2009).…”

“…In contrast to the negative stereotypes of Latinos regarding criminality, academic ability, and social status (Rosenbloom and Way 2004), Asian Americans often are vigroup than their European Americanewed as the ''model minority'' who are ''somehow immune from cultural conflicts and perceived discrimination' ' (p. 292;Sue 1994). Yet, Asian Americans still perceive more discrimination and more negative societal evaluations of their peers (Gillen-O'Neel et al 2011;Huynh and Fuligni 2010;Rivas-Drake et al 2009), suggesting that even ethnic minority groups that are generally viewed positively are not protected from negative treatment or stereotypes.…”

Problemas de Conducta y Depresión entre Refugiados no Acom-pañados: La asociación entre el impacto del trauma pre-migratorio y la aculturación

“…28, nº 3 (octubre) tigated (Berkel et al, 2010;Green, Way, & Pahl, 2006;Grossman & Liang, 2008;Huynh & Fuligni, 2010;Liebkind & Jasinskaja-Lahti, 2000;Oppedal, 2011. However, immigrant children and youth may also experience other contextual challenges both within their ethnic in-group networks and during social interaction with out-group majority peers (Lay & Nguyen, 1998;Vinokurov, Trickett, & Birman, 2002).…”

Impacts of Arizona’s SB 1070 on Mexican American Students’ Stress, School Attachment, and Grades

“…Referring to grades via academic achievement in their analyses, Alva and de los Reyes (1999) report that academic achievement was negatively correlated to acculturative stress and that the effects of the stress were not attenuated by a student's perceived self-competence. Likewise, Huynh, and Fuligni (2010) find that when compared to their white and Asian peers, Latino high school students showed lower levels of school achievement as the result of higher levels of stress.…”