Black Joy: Understanding the Effects of Racial Discrimination

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: PS 10 Topic - Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Abstract

Racial discrimination (RD) has been associated with African American (AA) mental health outcomes such as depressive symptoms (Benner et al., 2018; Schmitt et al., 2014). Theory and prior studies suggest that the link between RD experiences and mental health outcomes may be impacted by changes in negative affect (Brondolo et al., 2008; Clark et al., 1999; Harell, 2000; O’Hare et al., 2015). However, Broaden and Build Theory (Fredrickson, 2004) and prior studies also suggest that various dimensions of positive affect (PA) such as joviality, attentiveness, and self-assurance, may mediate this association (Brown et al., 2014; Ong et al., 2008). In this study, we examined the link between RD and changes in three forms of PA, a specific dimension of PA, as a preliminary step in examining PA as a mediating factor in the link between RD and mental health. This preliminary study recognizes that not all dimensions of PA may operate in the same way; thus, examining specific dimensions of PA may help to unpack the mechanisms involved in the impact of RD on mental health. Furthermore, few studies have examined the link between RD and changes in PA over time. Based on theory and prior research, we hypothesized that RD would be associated with changes in PA over time (Noh et al. 2007; Clark & Watson, 1991).

The study was conducted with a sample of 171 AA college students (69% female) at a predominately white institution in the southeastern part of the US. The study captured two waves of data collected approximately 8 months apart. At each wave, participants responded to self-report questionnaires of positive and negative affect using the PANAS-X (Watson & Clark, 1999) and experiences of discrimination using the Daily Life Experiences Scale (Harrell, 1994). We were specifically interested in RD frequency (α=.932) and RD distress (α =.968) at Time 1, and the joviality, self-assurance, and attentiveness subscale of PA at Time 2 (α =.926), controlling for Time 1 (α=.932).

A multivariate linear regression revealed that there was an association between earlier experiences of RD and later levels of PA, specifically, joviality t(136) = -2.33, p = .021. After accounting for age, gender, socioeconomic status, and initial levels of joviality, there was a significant negative association between RD and joviality (b = -0.14). Specifically, more experiences of RD at time 1 were associated with decreased levels of joviality at time 2. Regarding self-assurance and attentiveness, there were no significant findings when examining RD as a predictor of changes in those forms of PA.

These findings suggest that decreased joviality may be involved in the mechanism by which RD impacts psychological functioning. Future studies will examine the specific mechanistic role that joviality may play in mediating the relationship between RD and depressive symptomatology.

Authors

• Aaron Neal, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
  Presenting Author

• Enrique W. Neblett, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
  Non-Presenting Author