A longitudinal examination of perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms in ethnic minority youth: The roles of attributional style, positive ethnic/racial affect, and emotional reactivity.

Abstract

Although perceived ethnic/racial discrimination is well established as a risk factor for depressive symptoms in ethnic minority youth, few studies have examined their longitudinal relationship over time. This study examined whether a negative attributional style, positive ethnic/racial affect, and emotional reactivity moderated the longitudinal relationship of perceived peer or adult discrimination and depressive symptoms in a sample of African American and Latino high school students (n = 155). African American and Latino youth who experienced increases in perceived peer discrimination also reported greater depressive symptoms over time, but positive ethnic/racial affect buffered the longitudinal association. Emotional reactivity also served as a significant moderator but only of the baseline association between perceived peer discrimination and depressive symptoms. Thus, perceived ethnic/racial discrimination appears to play a significant role in the development of depressive symptoms for ethnic minority youth, especially those who start high school with lower levels of positive ethnic/racial affect.

Cultural Stressors and Depressive Symptoms in Latino/a Adolescents: An Integrative Review

“…All studies that examined discrimination found significant relationships between discrimination and depressive symptoms. Societal discrimination (Behnke et al, 2011), anticipated discrimination (Paat, 2016), discrimination stress (Cervantes et al, 2012; Cervantes et al, 2015), perceived discrimination (Basáñez et al, 2013; Chithambo et al, 2014; Gonzales-Backen et al, 2017; Lorenzo-Blanco et al, 2011; Potochnick, Perreira, & Fuligni, 2012; Potochnick & Perreira, 2010; Young, 2016), ethnic discrimination from teachers and peers (Huq et al, 2016; Stein, Supple, Huq, Dunbar, & Prinstein, 2016), and ethnic microaggression frequency (Huynh, 2012) all had significant positive associations with depressive symptoms in Latino/a adolescents. These studies thus provide strong evidence for a significant relationship between discrimination and depressive symptoms in Latino/a adolescents.…”

“…BSS = Bicultural Stress Scale (Romero & Roberts, 2003); CDI-2 = Children's Depression Inventory-2 (Kovacs & Multi-Health Systems Staff, 2011); HSI-AV = Hispanic Stress Inventory-Adolescent Version (Cervantes, Fisher, Córdova, & Napper, 2012); LA = Los Angeles; MFQ = Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (Angold et al, 1987); NC = North Carolina. 2016), ethnic discrimination from teachers and peers (Huq et al, 2016;Stein, Supple, Huq, Dunbar, & Prinstein, 2016), and ethnic microaggression frequency (Huynh, 2012) all had significant positive associations with depressive symptoms in Latino/a adolescents. These studies thus provide strong evidence for a significant relationship between discrimination and depressive symptoms in Latino/a adolescents.…”

When Discrimination Hurts: The Longitudinal Impact of Increases in Peer Discrimination on Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in Mexican-origin Youth

“…Other studies found no changes across 10th to 12th grades (Sirin et al 2015; no information on country of origin), or different classes of trajectories across 9th grade to three years post high school (i.e., increasing, decreasing, and two stable; Unger et al 2014; no information on country of origin)). Regardless of mean level trajectories, there has been significant individual variability in trajectories such that greater levels of discrimination across time have been associated with worse depressive (Stein et al 2016;19% Latinx) and/or anxiety (Sirin et al 2015) symptoms in multiethnic samples. However, no past study has examined how peer discrimination longitudinally relates to depressive and/or anxiety symptoms in a solely Latinx sample.…”

Discrimination Among Youth of Immigrant Descent in Germany

“…Ethnic discrimination can be conceptualized as being treated unfairly or negatively, such as being excluded or harassed verbally, because of one's ethnic background (Garrett et al, 2017;Jasinskaja-Lahti et al, 2003). The negative effects of discrimination on the well-being of adolescents of immigrant descent 1 are well documented (e. g., Maes et al, 2014;Reitz et al, 2015;Stein et al, 2015).…”

“…Notably, only 4 % were conducted in Europe. However, experiencing ethnic discrimination is a part of everyday life among adolescents of immigrant descent in Germany and the rest of Europe (Berry et al, 2006;Frankenberg et al, 2013), and it poses adjustment threats socioemotionally (e. g., poor mental health), relationally and academically (e. g., negative behavior and poor academic achievement) (see Aichberger et al, 2015;Stein et al, 2015). Germany, with its long-standing history of immigration, in recent years has continued to record among the highest arrivals of immigrants and asylum-seekers in continental Europe (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge, 2018).…”