Unity Against Adversity: Examining the Moderating Effect of a Sense of Community Between Discrimination and Discrimination-Related Distress Among Racial and Ethnic Minoritized Adults

<p><strong>Background: </strong>Racial and ethnic minoritized populations are significantly more likely to develop mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, than White populations. Some of the predominant causes are rooted in the impact of discrimination, and other social determinants of health (SDOH), including adverse experiences. Studies found that discrimination can lead to a distinct form of anxiety described as discrimination-related distress, which has a higher negative association with poor mental health symptoms. It has been suggested that having a strong sense of community (SOC) –a collective sentiment shared by community members regarding their membership, feelings of belonging, connection, and shared identity/values—can moderate the influence of discrimination and its adverse outcomes. However, much of the research primarily explored individual resilience and not the broader context of how a SOC may bolster resilience in the face of adversity. This gap in the literature highlights the importance of understanding the dynamics of community-level support in times of adversity. The present study examined SOC as a moderator of the relation between perceived discrimination and discrimination-related distress, while controlling for the influence of family context. <strong>Methods:</strong> Racial and ethnic minoritized emerging adults (n = 251) completed an online survey assessing perceived discrimination, discrimination-related distress, SOC, demographic characteristics, and family context. A hierarchical linear regression model was used to analyze the moderating effect of SOC in the relation between perceived discrimination and discrimination-related distress. <strong>Results: </strong>There were significant positive correlations between perceived discrimination and discrimination-related distress. SOC was a significant moderator of the association between discrimination and discrimination-related distress. More specifically, among individuals with a higher SOC, the relation between discrimination and discrimination-related distress was positive, but smaller in magnitude than among individuals with a lower sense of community. <strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study highlights the importance of exploring and understanding community-based strategies for racial and ethnic minoritized adults to address social determinants of mental health.<strong></strong></p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2023

Author dc:creator

• Velazquez, Kimberly

Contributors dc:contributor

• Adriana Espinosa
• Lesia Ruglass
• Teresa Lopez-Castro

• Sense of community
• mental health
• discrimination
• anxiety
• resilience
• Psychology
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Repository record dc:identifier

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/1123

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:cc_etds_theses-2199