Coping Strategies for Distinct Discrimination-Related Stressors

Abstract

Objectives: According to national data, Latinx individuals are faced with increasing rates of racial discrimination over the last few years. To reduce the negative psychological impact of discrimination, many Latinx individuals engage in coping behaviors. Although research shows that coping can buffer against discrimination-related stress, few studies have examined if individuals’ coping strategies vary across various forms of discrimination experiences. The present study examined Latinx individuals’ self-reported coping strategies in response to everyday racial discrimination, racial microaggressions, and police and law enforcement discrimination. Method: Latinx American adults living in the Texas community (N = 427, 52.0% women, Mage = 34.05) completed survey questionnaires on three forms of discrimination experiences, and their coping strategies in each form of discrimination. Results: Participants reported microaggressions to be the most frequent form of discrimination, followed by everyday discrimination and then police and law enforcement discrimination. It was most common for participants to use secondary control engagement across forms of discrimination experiences, and the least common to use involuntary engagement and involuntary disengagement. Secondary control engagement and primary control disengagement were both used more commonly in response to everyday discrimination than in response to police discrimination. Conclusion: Results highlighted the possibility that individuals employ distinctive coping strategies in response to discrimination experiences. Future research directions are discussed.