Discrimination, internalized racism, and depression: A comparative study of African American and Afro-Caribbean adults in the US

Abstract

Emerging research suggests that both perceptions of discrimination and internalized racism (i.e., endorsement of negative stereotypes of one’s racial group) are associated with poor mental health. Yet, no studies to date have examined their effects on mental health with racial/ethnic minorities in the US in a single study. The present study examined: (a) the direct effects of everyday discrimination and internalized racism on risk of DSM-IV criteria of past-year major depressive disorder (MDD); (b) the interactive effects of everyday discrimination and internalized racism on risk of past-year MDD; and (c) the indirect effect of everyday discrimination on risk of past-year MDD via internalized racism. Further, we examined whether these associations differed by ethnic group membership. We utilized nationally representative data of Afro-Caribbean (N = 1,418) and African American (N = 3,570) adults from the National Survey of American Life. Results revealed that experiencing discrimination was associated with increased odds of past-year MDD among the total sample. Moreover, for Afro-Caribbeans, but not African Americans, internalized racism was associated with decreased odds of meeting criteria for past-year MDD. We did not find an interaction effect for everyday discrimination by internalized racism, nor an indirect effect of discrimination on risk of past-year MDD through internalized racism. Collectively, our findings suggest a need to investigate other potential mechanisms by which discrimination impacts mental health, and examine further the underlying factors of internalized racism as a potential self-protective strategy. Lastly, our findings point to the need for research that draws attention to the heterogeneity within the U.S. Black population.

Internalized Racism: A Systematic Review of the Psychological Literature on Racism's Most Insidious Consequence

“…Some studies have also found correlations between internalized racism and higher levels of hopelessness (Cort et al., ) and stress (e.g., Bailey, ; Garcia, David, & Mapaye, ; Grace, ; Szymanski & Obiri, ; Tull, Sheu, Butler, & Cornelious, ). There is also a growing body of empirical literature documenting internalized racism's links with specific psychological disorders like depression (e.g., Cajucom, ; David, , ; David & Okazaki, ; Molina & James, ; Mouzon & McLean, ; Utsey et al., ), anxiety (e.g., Clement, ; Graham, West, Martinez, & Roemer, ; Utsey et al., ), and body dissatisfaction (e.g., Cajucom, ; Cort et al., ; Mason, ). Furthermore, some studies have linked internalized racism to physical ailments such as obesity (e.g., Butler, Tull, Chambers, & Taylor, ; Chambers et al., ; Martin, ), cardiovascular disease (e.g., Chae, Lincoln, Adler, & Syme, ), and even sooner death as internalized racism has also been found to be related to shorter telomere length (i.e., Chae et al., ).…”

Racism and Effects on the Perceptions of Young Adult Black Men: An Argument for the Adoption of Ideologies of Racism

“…Upon being prompted to provide his perceptions of these ideas as a young guy growing up Jason described his neighborhood as a "ghetto." Use of this term in and of itself illustrates influences of the effects of an identity assignment that race, and its unchecked premises, expose YABMs to (Heitzeg 2015;Molina and James 2016). Acey's experience was different in that he attended a private school until middle school and described his neighborhood as multiracial As long as 'race' is associated in the cognitive process of an individual, his identity standards containing moral convictions are being engaged as those identity standards and comparators are in action drawing from his beliefs, values, attitudes, and cultural influences (Burke & Stets, 2009;Skitka, Liu, & colleaugues, 2012;Miles & Brown, 2003).…”

How group processes influence, maintain, and overcome health disparities

“…The work by Prati, Crisp, Pratto, and Rubini (2016) tests whether the interplay between social identity complexity and multiple categorization processes can increase support for immigrants’ health. Molina and James (2016) present research testing the relationship among Caribbean Blacks between internalized racism, perceptions of discrimination, and past-year major depressive disorder (MDD). Ruiz, Hamann, Mehl, and O’Connor (2016) review evidence for the so-called “Hispanic paradox”—data showing the health benefits that Hispanics have over Whites and other minority groups—and discuss potential sociocultural resilience factors that may contribute to the positive health outcomes for the fastest growing minority group in the United States.…”