Exploring the Relationships Among Discrimination and Mental Health Among Somali Young Adults

• In Event: Somali Immigrants and Refugees: Societal Treatment and Youth Behavior

Abstract

Refugee and immigrant groups in the United States are currently experiencing significant discrimination and victimization. As black, Muslim refugees and immigrants, Somali young adults face “triple marginalization” in that they are discriminated against for reasons of race, religion, and migration status. While there is growing evidence on the adverse effects of discrimination on health, less is known about the ways in which discriminatory experiences relate to refugee mental health , and about how refugees themselves understand and make meaning of those experiences. We present analyses drawn from a larger mixed-methods, community based participatory research program, which brings together a team of inter-disciplinary researchers and leaders from the Somali community to assess risk and resilience factors related to refugee resettlement.

Method: We conducted both quantitative and qualitative analyses to inform our understanding of the relationships among discrimination and health in our sample. Quantitative analyses include data gathered at baseline as part of a longitudinal study with 542 Somali young adults in four North American cities. Discrimination measures include the Everyday Discrimination scale (Williams, Yu, Jackson, & Anderson, 1997). Outcomes of depression, PTSD and anxiety were also examined. In addition, 40 qualitative interviews were conducted with a subsample of participants. Themes related to discrimination and poor treatment were identified and analyzed.
Findings: Quantitative analyses suggest that experiences of discrimination among Somali young adults are nearly ubiquitous (91.3%). Indeed, qualitative results demonstrate that these youth experience high levels of discrimination from multiple sources and across institutional sectors. As one participant noted, “But when you go outside, that’s when the racism hits you. Boom. You get slapped right in the face.” Correlational analyses revealed that discrimination experiences are moderately related to symptoms of anxiety and depression, rpb = .29, p < .001. Regression analyses further examining the relationships between discrimination and various mental health outcomes will also be presented.
Implications: The broad goal of this project is to expand our knowledge of the relationships among experiences of discrimination and health outcomes for Somali young adults. Findings will contribute to the development of strategies to disrupt these associations, mitigate disparities, and foster community inclusion and participation for refugee/immigrant groups.

Authors

• Alisa K. Lincoln, Northeastern University

• Emma Cardeli, Boston Children’s Hospital

• Osob Issa, Boston Children’s Hospital

• Heidi B. Ellis, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School