Differential Vulnerability to Perceived Discrimination Between African American and Caribbean Black Adolescents: The Rol
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Differential Vulnerability to Perceived Discrimination Between African American and Caribbean Black Adolescents: The Role of Parental Nativity Status Nicholas C. Smith 1 Received: 19 June 2019 / Revised: 7 November 2019 / Accepted: 11 November 2019 # W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute 2019
Abstract An emerging body of research finds that African American and Caribbean Black adolescents are highly susceptible to discrimination, which negatively affects their mental health. Exposure to discrimination appears to be more consequential for mental health among Caribbean Black adolescents; however, past research investigating the differential impact of perceived discrimination on the mental health of African American and Caribbean Black adolescents has failed to take into account parental nativity status. Using data from the National Survey of American Life-Adolescent Supplement (NSAL-A), 2001–2004, this research examines differences in mental health profiles among African American adolescents (n = 783) and Caribbean Black adolescents with US-born (n = 216) and immigrant parents (n = 144) and differential vulnerability to perceptions of discrimination. Findings suggest that Caribbean Black adolescents with immigrant parents report fewer depressive symptoms than African American adolescents. Caribbean Black adolescents with immigrant parents also perceive lower levels of discrimination than Caribbean Black adolescents with US-born parents. Generally, greater perceptions of discrimination were associated with diminished mental health among all adolescents; however, relative to African American adolescents, associations between perceived discrimination and both mental health indicators were augmented among Caribbean Black adolescents with immigrant parents. No differences were observed between African American adolescents and Caribbean Black adolescents with US-born parents. Theoretical and policy implications of these findings are discussed. Keywords Perceived discrimination . Mental health . Depressive symptoms . Anxiety . Adolescents . Ethnicity . Parental nativity
Introduction Stress theory posits that exposure to stress is unequally distributed across social groups in the US population, which produces persistent inequalities in health outcomes [1]. In particular, members of lower-status and disadvantaged groups (e.g., racial/ethnic minorities) experience greater susceptibility and vulnerability to stress, in part due to the additional burden of discrimination [1]. Discrimination—defined as prejudiced or unfair treatment by others on the basis of one’s status characteristic(s) (e.g., race, gender) [1]—is a psychosocial stressor that pervades nearly all domains of life (e.g., social, financial) and permeates multiple social groups. Over the past two * Nicholas C. Smith [email protected] 1
Department of Sociology, Indiana University Bloomington, Ballantine Hall 744, 1020 East Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
decades, a burgeoning literature on the prevalence, distribution, and correlates of discrimination
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