Racial/Ethnic Variation in the Association Between Microaggressions and Subjective Well-Being in the U.S.

• In Event: Open Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 12: Health Inequalities

Abstract

Research on racial/ethnic health disparities frequently overlooks the impact of everyday, subtle discrimination, such as microaggressions. Grounded in complementary micro- and macro-level theoretical frameworks, this study examines how microaggressions are associated with self-rated health and happiness, and whether these associations vary across major racial/ethnic groups. Data from recent waves (2018–2024) of the General Social Survey (GSS) were analyzed using logistic regression and causal inference methods. The findings demonstrate that microaggressions are highly prevalent and serve as robust correlates of poor health and unhappiness, suggesting that racialized stressors may function as distinct social determinants that shape subjective well-being, even after controlling for socioeconomic status. Additionally, the strength of these associations varies significantly by race/ethnicity. Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander populations exhibit a more pronounced association between microaggression exposure and poorer self-rated physical health. In contrast, American Indian and Alaska Native populations report poorer health outcomes across all levels of microaggression exposure, suggesting that broader structural disadvantages may shape subjective well-being beyond everyday discriminatory experiences. We discuss policy implications, indicating that public health interventions should move beyond individual coping strategies toward structural approaches that address the underlying mechanisms of everyday racism. Future research should utilize longitudinal data and more refined measures of microaggressions to clarify the long-term, cumulative effects of subtle discrimination.

Authors

• Jun Xu, University of Macau

• Fang Gong, Ball State University

• Donghui Wang, University of Macau