Abstract
Previous studies report a race and mental health paradox: Whites score higher on measures of major depression compared to African Americans, but the opposite is true for psychological distress (i.e., African Americans score higher on distress measures compared to Whites). Independently, race, age, and gender outcomes for psychological distress are well documented in the literature. However, there is relatively little research on how psychological distress interferes with the lives of African Americans and Whites at the intersection of their various race, age, and gender identities. This study uses data from the 2016 National Health Interview Survey to examine age and gender differences in psychological distress and how much psychological distress interferes with the lives of African Americans and Whites. Our study findings are contrary to the paradox such that young White women (M = 3.36, SD = 1.14) and middle-aged White men (M = 2.55, SD = 3.97) experienced higher psychological distress than all other race, age, and gender groups. Psychological distress interference was relatively high among the high distress groups, except for older African American men (M = 1.73, SD = 1.05) and young African American women (M = 1.93, SD = 0.95). Implications for studies that consider cultural experiences of psychological distress, and how it impacts different demographic groups are discussed.
Highlights
IntroductionThere are concerns about whether mental health questionnaires capture the most accurate assessment of depression among marginalized groups, compared to non-marginalized groups
Large epidemiologic studies accentuate variations in understanding the experiences of depression among African Americans compared to Whites
Though previous studies confirm that rates of major depressive disorder (MDD) are lower for African Americans compared to Whites, some researchers have argued that psychiatric measures
Summary
There are concerns about whether mental health questionnaires capture the most accurate assessment of depression among marginalized groups, compared to non-marginalized groups These concerns exist for a range of mental health questionnaires, such as the highly structured, lay interviewer-administered World Health Organization Composite. African Americans [1]; the operationalization of DSM depression criteria in the CIDI and SCID [2,3]; mental health stigma [4,5]; and mental health literacy among African Americans [6,7] In the past, these issues have made it difficult for African Americans to report depression symptoms, especially to interviewers and clinicians who are not African American. Though previous studies confirm that rates of major depressive disorder (MDD) are lower for African Americans compared to Whites, some researchers have argued that psychiatric measures
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
