Racial Discrimination and Health Outcomes Among Racial/Ethnic Minorities: A Meta‐Analytic Review

In this meta‐analysis, the authors reviewed 105 studies on the relationships between racial discrimination and health outcomes among racial/ethnic minority Americans. The authors tested for moderator effects of measurement strategies, cultural factors, substance use, gender, and racial group differences. Findings indicate a statistically significant effect size between racial discrimination and health, with the largest effect for mental health and strongest for studies with multi‐item measures. En este metaanálisis, los autores revisaron 105 estudios sobre las relaciones entre la discriminación racial y los resultados para la salud entre americanos pertenecientes a minorías raciales o étnicas. Los autores examinaron los efectos moderadores de las estrategias de medición, los factores culturales, el uso de sustancias, el género y las diferencias entre grupos raciales. Los hallazgos indican un efecto de tamaño estadísticamente significativo entre la discriminación racial y la salud, con el máximo efecto observado en la salud mental y el más fuerte en estudios con mediciones múltiples.     

An Examination of the Impact of Racial and Ethnic Identity,Impostor Feelings,and Minority Status Stress on the Mental Health of Black College Students

This study examined ethnic identity, racial centrality, minority status stress, and impostor feelings as predictors of mental health in a sample of 218 Black college students. Ethnic identity was found to be a significant positive predictor of mental health, whereas minority status stress and impostor feelings were significant negative predictors. Although ethnic identity was the strongest predictor of mental health, racial centrality represented a nonsignificant, negative predictor. Counseling implications for Black college students are discussed. Este estudio examinó la identidad étnica, la centralidad racial, el estrés por estatus de minoría y los sentimientos de impostor como indicadores de salud mental en una muestra de 218 estudiantes universitarios negros. Se halló que la identidad étnica es un indicador positivo significativo de salud mental, mientras que el estrés por estatus de minoría y los sentimientos de impostor fueron indicadores negativos significativos. Aunque la identidad étnica fue el indicador más fuerte de salud mental, la centralidad racial representó un indicador negativo no significativo. Se discuten las implicaciones para la consejería de estudiantes universitarios negros.     

An Examination of the Impact of Minority Status Stress and Impostor Feelings on the Mental Health of Diverse Ethnic Minority College Students

This study examined differences in minority status stress, impostor feelings, and mental health in a sample of 240 ethnic minority college students. African Americans reported higher minority status stress than Asian Americans and Latino/a Americans, whereas Asian Americans reported higher impostor feelings. Minority status stress and impostor feelings were examined as predictors of mental health. Impostor feelings were stronger predictors of mental health than minority status stress. Counseling implications for ethnic minority students are discussed. Este estudio examinó las diferencias en estrés por estatus de minoría, sentimientos de impostor, y salud mental en una muestra de 240 estudiantes universitarios pertenecientes a minorías étnicas. Los afroamericanos comunicaroun un estrés por estatus de minoría más alto que los asiático‐americanos y los latinoamericanos, mientras que los asiático‐americanos comunicaron sentimientos de impostor más elevados. Se examinaron el estrés por estatus de minoría y los sentimientos de impostor como predictores de salud mental. Los sentimientos de impostor fueron predictores más fuertes de salud mental que el estrés por estatus de minoría. Se discuten las implicaciones en consejería para estudiantes de minorías étnicas.     

Exploring and Promoting the College Attendance and Success of Racial/Ethnic Minority Students

Using consensual qualitative research methodology and being mindful of both challenges and successes, the authors explored diverse students’ experiences with higher education. The authors used semistructured interviews with 7 students with racial/ethnic minority backgrounds to investigate the circumstances under which these students decided to attend college and experienced success. Multiple factors that were reported to contribute to students’ college attendance and success emerged, including individual factors, psychological factors, social factors, and cultural/environmental factors. Utilizando una metodología de investigación cualitativa consensuada y teniendo en cuenta tanto los desafíos como los éxitos, los autores exploraron las experiencias de estudiantes diversos en la educación superior. Los autores usaron entrevistas semiestructuradas con 7 estudiantes de minorías raciales/étnicas para investigar las circunstancias en las que estos estudiantes decidieron cursar estudios universitarios y tuvieron éxito. Surgieron múltiples factores reportados que contribuyeron a la asistencia y al éxito de los estudiantes en la universidad, incluyendo factores individuales, factores psicológicos, factores sociales y factores culturales/del entorno.     

The Effect of Perfectionism and Acculturative Stress on Levels of Depression Experienced by East Asian International Students

This study examined relationships among acculturative stress, grade point average satisfaction, maladaptive perfectionism, and depression in 52 East Asian international students and 126 North American students. Results indicated that a combined effect of perfectionism and acculturative stress accounted for more than 30% of the variance related to depression. Implications include the importance of attending to perfectionism and acculturative stress for improving the overall well‐being of East Asian international students. Este estudio examinó las relaciones entre el estrés aculturativo, la satisfacción con el promedio de calificaciones, el perfeccionismo inadaptado y la depresión en 52 estudiantes internacionales del este asiático y 126 estudiantes norteamericanos. Los resultados indicaron que el efecto combinado del perfeccionismo y el estrés aculturativo representó más del 30% de la varianza relacionada con la depresión. Las implicaciones incluyen la importancia de prestar atención a los niveles de perfeccionismo y estrés aculturativo para mejorar el bienestar general de los estudiantes internacionales del este asiático.     

Recruitment and Retention of Low‐SES Ethnic Minority Couples in Intervention Research at the Transition to Parenthood

Low‐SES couples have limited resources to manage the chronic and acute stressors with which they are disproportionately faced. Although these couples are at greater risk for negative individual and relationship outcomes, evaluations of the impact of couple relationship education (CRE) in low‐SES couples have been plagued by methodological problems, most notably challenges associated with recruitment and retention. We review the literature on challenges couples face associated with low‐SES, as well as on recruitment, retention, and CRE in low‐SES, ethnic minority populations. We illustrate some of these challenges in a case study of CRE for low‐SES couples transitioning to parenthood. In this pilot study, 21 couples were recruited from a community health clinic and randomized to either an experimental treatment condition (EXP; N = 11) or a treatment‐as‐usual control condition (TAU; N = 10). This study sought to mitigate documented challenges with recruitment and retention: We leveraged community partnerships, attempted to build and maintain strong relationships with study participants, provided incentives for assessments as well as intervention meetings, and attempted to reduce potential barriers to enrollment and retention. Nonetheless, we had low rates of recruitment and retention. We integrate these findings and experiences with our review of previous work in this area. We make recommendations for future CRE research and practice that have potential implications for public policy in this area.     

Minority Stress and Same‐Sex Relationship Satisfaction: The Role of Concealment Motivation

Most lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people want a stable, satisfying romantic relationship. Although many of the predictors of relationship outcomes are similar to those of heterosexual couples, same‐sex couples face some additional challenges associated with minority stress that also impact upon relationship quality. Here, we investigate the association between minority stressors and relationship quality in a sample of 363 adults (M age = 30.37, SD = 10.78) currently in a same‐sex romantic relationship. Internalized homophobia and difficulties accepting one's LGB identity were each negatively associated with relationship satisfaction via heightened concealment motivation. We also examined the protective role of identity affirmation on relationship quality, finding a direct positive relationship between the two variables. Minority stressors were negatively associated with couple relationship satisfaction via heightened concealment motivation. The finding that identity affirmation directly predicted increased couple satisfaction also highlights the important role of protective factors in same‐sex couple relationships.     

Relationship Distress as a Mediator of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health: Implications for Clinical Practice with Economically Vulnerable Racial and Ethnic Minorities

Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are interpersonal sources of distress negatively correlated with physical and mental health, as well as maladaptive intimate partner conflict strategies in adulthood. Economically vulnerable racial and ethnic minorities report the greatest disparities in exposure to ACE, as well as relationship distress and health. Yet, little is known about the connections between ACE, relationship distress, and health. We therefore tested a theoretical model for the mediating role of relationship distress to explain the ACE‐health connection with a sample (N = 96) predominantly racial/ethnic minorities (87%) with low income. We applied partial least squares structural equation modeling with bootstrapping (N = 500). Relationship distress strengthened the predictive relationship between ACE and health, and accounted for 42% of the variance in health. The results provide preliminary support for relationship distress as a social determinant of health disparities with implications for interdisciplinary health intervention.     

The weariness of the hero: depression and the self in a civilization in transition

According to the World Health Organization, depression is currently the leading cause of disability, which is of great concern worldwide; however there is much dispute about depression and its causes. This article raises the hypothesis that depression could be related to an increase or inflation of ego‐consciousness, which, in turn, is inseparable from the development of modernity. The ‘hero’, symbol of this historical process of self‐consciousness and autonomy, stands now wearied and disoriented. The paper outlines how, in this cultural scene, certain ideas from Carl Jung's and James Hillman's depth psychologies may be useful in addressing the issue: the rediscovery of figures of the other through the analysis of the unconscious (Jung) and associating with others in groups imbued with communal sense (Hillman) could help the depressed individual to mitigate his or her inflated ego‐consciousness. These are two complementary ways of experiencing the conglomerate nature of the self, thus promoting the process of individuation.