Vicarious Discrimination, Psychosocial Resources, and Mental Health among Black Americans

Abstract

Does hearing about or witnessing someone else experience discrimination harm individuals’ mental health? Using data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study, we answer this question by examining how vicarious discrimination impacts depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and anger among black Americans. We also test whether mastery and self-esteem moderate the association between vicarious discrimination and each mental health outcome. Findings indicate experiencing vicarious discrimination via a family member has a similar impact on mental health to personally experiencing discrimination. While experiencing vicarious discrimination via a close friend also increased mental health problems, it appeared to be less harmful than personally experiencing discrimination. Moreover, self-esteem moderated the association between vicarious discrimination via a family member and via a close friend and mental health, while mastery did not. This study provides new insights into ways vicarious discrimination impacts health as well as the role that psychosocial resources play in shaping this relationship.

Vicarious Experiences of Major Discrimination and Psychological Distress among Black Men and Women

“…Fifth, this study focuses on the link between vicarious discrimination and psychological distress to better understand how indirect forms of racism-related stress impact the mental health of Black Americans. While our findings add to the small, but growing, body of evidence demonstrating the mental health significance of these experiences (Louie and Upenieks 2022; Moody 2022), there is a need to evaluate the role of vicarious discrimination in shaping other psychological outcomes, such as major depression or anxiety, as recent research suggests that the etiologies of these conditions may be distinct among Black Americans (Thomas Tobin 2021; Thomas Tobin and Moody 2021). Furthermore, gender differences in the prevalence of mental health outcomes are well-documented, noting that while women are more likely to experience internalizing disorders (e.g., mood disorders), men are more likely to suffer from externalizing disorders such as substance dependence or oppositional defiant disorders (Rosenfield and Mouzon 2013).…”

“…Second, the use of a regional sample from Nashville, Tennessee limits our ability to generalize these results to other contexts. As others have noted (DeAngelis 2022; Louie and Upenieks 2022; Louie et al 2022), numerous historical and contemporary factors specific to the Nashville context may influence study findings. For instance, Nashville is home to two historically Black universities as well as Meharry Medical College, the oldest historically Black medical school in the nation.…”

“…Although findings on the mental health of Black Americans remain somewhat paradoxical (Erving, Thomas, and Frazier 2018; Louie and Wheaton 2018; Thomas Tobin and Moody 2021), a wealth of empirical evidence demonstrates that perceived discrimination is an important social stressor with significant psychological consequences among this population (Brondolo et al 2009; Goosby, Cheadle, and Mitchell 2018; King et al 2022; Paradies et al 2015; Pascoe and Richman 2009; Williams and Mohammed 2009). Burgeoning research also suggests that secondhand experiences of racism may negatively impact the health and well-being of Black Americans (Colen et al 2019; Louie and Upenieks 2022; Martz et al 2019; McFarland et al 2018; Moody 2022; Moody et al 2022). Yet, most studies examining the association between discrimination and health tend to focus on personal experiences of discrimination (Gee et al 2012; Paradies et al 2015).…”

“…For example, exposure to racism-related stressors can be upsetting and lead to the poor emotional states that produce psychological distress (Paradies 2006). Furthermore, the concept of stress contagion suggests that the effects from stressors may cross from one individual to another (Wethington 2000), particularly depending on the relationship that the target has with others in their social network (Louie and Upenieks 2022). These mechanisms demonstrate the health significance of racism-related stressors and emphasize their role in shaping psychological distress among Black Americans.…”

“…As such, witnessing, or becoming aware of, the racism-related stressors faced by others may be especially harmful for Black Americans (Gee, Walsemann, and Brondolo 2012; Harrell 2000). Nevertheless, empirical evidence for whether these vicarious discrimination experiences affect mental health remains relatively limited (Bor et al 2018; Heard-Garris et al 2018; Louie and Upenieks 2022; Moody et al 2022), since most measures of perceived discrimination focus on the individual’s personal experiences of unfair treatment (Shariff-Marco et al 2011). In fact, systematic reviews and meta-analyses (e.g., Paradies et al 2015) have revealed that fewer than 20 percent of the studies on racism and health between 1983 and 2013 used measures of indirect exposure to racism (e.g., group, vicarious, proxy-reports), with most focusing on the impact of personal experiences of discrimination.…”