Mediators of the relationship between racial identity and life satisfaction in a community sample of African American women and men.

Abstract

Few empirical studies have explored the mechanisms through which racial identity, the importance of racial group membership, affects well-being for racial/ethnic minorities. Using a community sample of 161 African American adults, the present study examined whether the association between racial identity (centrality, public regard, and private regard) and life satisfaction is mediated by two identity functions, belongingness and discrimination. Our results indicated that the relationships of centrality and private regard with life satisfaction were mediated by perceptions of belongingness. Furthermore, gender moderated the strength of each of these mediating effects, such that belongingness mediated these relationships for women but not for men. Our results also indicated that the relationship between public regard and life satisfaction was mediated by perceptions of discrimination. Furthermore, higher public regard was related to lower perceptions of discrimination for women but not men. However, a combined model for public regard and life satisfaction as mediated by discrimination failed to show moderated mediation. We discuss these results in relation to research and theory on racial identity and intersectionality.

The Relationship Between Social Identities, Acculturation Strategies and the Psychological Well-Being of Young Russians in Latvia and Crimean Tatars in Crimea

“…Studies on the relationship between the various components of social identity and psychological well-being have demonstrated that ethnic identity is positively related to selfesteem and life satisfaction (Yap et al, 2011;Smith, Silva, 2011). The model tested in the study is shown in Fig.…”

Identity and well-being of ethnic minority and mainstream adolescents in Bulgaria

“…The development of ethnic identity involves a process of exploration and commitment which can result in a secure and confident sense of identity (Ghavami, Fingerhut, Peplau, Grant, & Witting, 2011). Across various ethnic groups, a strong sense of ethnic identity is associated with enhanced levels of well-being (Costigan, Koryzma, Hua, & Chance, 2010;Yap, Settles, & Pratt-Hyatt, 2011). Familial identity concerns the relevance of the familial group for the self and the importance assigned to a nuclear or extended family as a source of socio-emotional support (Bagger, Li, & Gutek, 2008).…”

The Relation Between Gender Identity and Well-Being

“…Among members of minority groups and women, facets involving aspects of identity centrality, salience, and importance had even less consistent relations with well-being, showing positive (Roszak, 2010;Yap et al, 2011), negative (Cruwys & Gunaseelan, 2016;Rubin & Stuart, 2018), or no relation at all (Hoffman, 2006;Settles et al, 2009). Among members of majority groups and men, these facets showed positive (Roszak, 2010;Rubin & Stuart, 2018) or no relations with well-being (Hoffman, 2006).…”

“…Table 1 summarizes their results. Facets related to acceptance, positive affect, and belongingness were usually associated with better well-being (Egan & Perry, 2001;Hoffman, 2006;Hughes et al, 2015;Rowley et al, 1998;Roszak, 2010;Rubin & Stuart, 2018;Settles et al, 2009;Smith & Leaper, 2006;Yap et al, 2011), but were sometimes associated with worse or had no relation to well-being (Cruwys & Gunaseelan, 2016;Egan & Perry, 2001;Smith & Leaper, 2006).…”