Sticks and Stones May Break Bones, But Racism Breaks Spirits: Discrimination and BIPOC Adolescent Mental Health

Abstract

BIPOC adolescent mental health is essential to a healthy, equitable society. Negative associations between discrimination and mental health may be ameliorated by affirmed ethnic-racial identity (ERI). We examined relations between racial discrimination and depression, anxiety, suicide ideation, chronic pain and subjective happiness moderated by ERI affirmation (353 U.S. BIPOC youth, Mage = 15.28, 48% female). Racial discrimination negatively, and ERI affirmation positively, related to mental health. Interactions were not significant. Exploratory follow-up analyses showed for BIPOC adolescents with moderate to highly affirmed ERI, racial discrimination related to increases in chronic pain and decreases in subjective happiness. Although affirmed ERI is positive for mental health, anti-racist involvement at community/structural levels are necessary to reduce discrimination’s consequences on BIPOC mental health.