Racial Discrimination Experiences and Protective Factors in Asian American Young Adult Mental Health

Background and Purpose. Racial discrimination is a well-established risk factor for mental health among Asian Americans. Both universal (e.g., family solidarity) and population-specific (e.g., ethnic identity) factors may buffer the deleterious effects of racial discrimination on mental health. However, relevant empirical evidence is mixed, and the buffering effects tend to vary depending on the age subgroups. In particular, young adulthood is a period of transitions shaped by increased mental health problems, identity development, and changing social dynamics, which are important considerations in identifying relevant aspects of protection. The current study addresses these gaps by investigating a) the extent to which perceived racial discrimination experiences are associated with mental health; and b) whether this relationship varies by universal (i.e., family solidarity) and population-specific (i.e., ethnic community cohesion, ethnic identity, and ethnic group belongingness) factors, particularly in young adulthood when they may have varying degrees of protection.

Methods. Data came from the 2015 Asian American Quality of Life (AAQoL) survey with a sub-sample (N = 773; 53.7% female) of self-identified Asian Americans aged 18 to 30 in Central Texas. Racial discrimination was measured by asking instance of unfair treatment because of racial/ethnic origin. Family solidarity (alpha = .96) and ethnic community cohesion (alpha = .90) were assessed with 10- and 5-item questionnaires, respectively, on shared values and closeness. Ethnic identity and group belongingness were assessed with single-item questionnaires. Mental health was measured by Kessler-6 Distress Scale (alpha = .87). Covariates included gender, age, marital status, education level, length of stay in the US, self-rated physical health, and smoking/drinking status. Multiple regression with direct and interaction effect models was the main modeling strategy.

Results. 33% of the sample reported racial discrimination experiences and mental health risk rates were moderate (M = 6.98, SD = 4.62). Racial discrimination was significantly associated (b = 1.19, p = .002) with mental health while ethnic belongingness was not (b = -.42, p = .055). Ethnic belongingness moderated the relationship between discrimination and mental health (b = -1.02, p = .024) such that when ethnic belongingness is high (1SD+), discrimination was not significantly associated with mental health (b = .41, p = .428). In contrast, when ethnic belongingness is low (1SD-), discrimination was significantly associated with mental health (b = 2.03, p < .001).

Conclusions and Implications. Our study supports prior research findings that perceived racial discrimination is associated with mental health during young adulthood. Ethnic group belongingness was found to modify this relationship, suggesting that it may be an important asset during a transitional period when individuals grow less dependent on family and more aware of their ethnic group membership, particularly the aspect of belongingness. Our study findings provide implications for developing social work policy and practice strategies that not only target discrimination in addressing mental health but also encourage culturally specific protective mechanisms.