Does ethnic identity buffer or intensify the stress of discrimination among the foreign born and U.S. born? Evidence from the Miami-Dade Health Survey.

Abstract

This study examines the extent to which ethnic identity is a protective factor and buffers the stress of discrimination among the foreign born compared to the U.S. born in Miami-Dade County. Data were drawn from the 2011 Miami-Dade Health Survey (N=444), which is a countywide probability sample of adults in South Florida. Two interaction effects were observed: (a) a stronger ethnic identity was associated with less distress among the foreign born than the U.S. born; and (b) a stronger ethnic identity exacerbated the relationship between everyday discrimination and distress among the U.S. born. Ethnic identity, which involves ethnic pride, participation in cultural practices, and cultural commitment or sense of belonging, was associated with better psychological well-being among the foreign born than the U.S. born. Ethnic identity, however, was not a protective factor for the U.S. born, but rather it intensified the distressing effect of discrimination.