Disentangling the discrimination and mental health relationship among diverse college students: Moderation analyses of shame-proneness across race, gender, and race-by-gender interactions.

Abstract

This study investigated shame-proneness as a moderating risk factor within the relationship between perceived discrimination and mental health outcomes. Moderation across race, gender, and race-by-gender intersections was also examined. Bayesian analysis was employed to examine moderation among African, Latinx, and Asian descent college students (N = 295). Shame-proneness had a moderating role contingent on participants' social identities. Higher shame-proneness moderated the discrimination-anxiety relationship for the African American sample and African American women and moderated the discrimination-depression relationship for African American women and men, respectively. The present study advances our understanding of the association between discrimination and negative mental health outcomes. African American participants with high shame-proneness were uniquely impacted by discrimination. Researchers, clinicians, and university officials are encouraged to develop culturally informed interventions and services to support this population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).