Socio-Demographic Moderators of Childhood Adversities' Impact on Interpersonal and Institutional Discrimination in Middle and Late Adulthood

Background and Purpose: Research on how socio-demographic factors influence the relationship between childhood adversities and experiences of interpersonal and institutional discrimination is scarce. This study aims to explore the moderating effects of these factors on such relationships.

Methods: This study used the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and included a nationally representative sample of 14,268 adults aged 45 and above. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions were conducted to analyze the moderating effects of socio-demographic factors on the relationship between childhood adversities and discrimination.

Results: The influence of childhood adversities on experiences of discrimination in later life varies depending on the race and family income level of an individual. Specifically, the impact of childhood adversities on both forms of discrimination is more pronounced for African Americans compared to Whites. Furthermore, childhood adversities’ impact on institutional discrimination is stronger for individuals with lower family income levels.

Conclusions and Implications: The findings highlight the complex interaction between childhood adversities and later-life discrimination influenced by socio-demographic factors, emphasizing the importance of considering these characteristics in addressing the impacts of childhood adversities and discrimination. This study contributes to theoretical frameworks (e.g., the life course perspective and intersectionality theory) and suggests directions for future research, such as exploring the underlying mechanisms and including more diverse racial minority groups. This research also emphasizes the need for targeted interventions and informed policymaking to alleviate the adverse effects of childhood adversities and support individuals experiencing discrimination.