Depression among Multiracial Adults: The Role of Discrimination and Social Support

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dc.contributor.advisorKelly, Nichole
dc.contributor.authorLuther, Gabriella
dc.date.accessioned2024-12-19T20:15:01Z
dc.date.available2024-12-19T20:15:01Z
dc.date.issued2024-12-19
dc.description.abstractAlthough it is unclear whether rates of depression differ for Multiracial individuals compared to Monoracial People of Color (MPOC) and Monoracial White (MW) individuals, Multiracial individuals could be at higher risk secondary to unique experiences with discrimination and social support. Experiencing discrimination is robustly associated with depressive symptoms, whereas social support has been shown to buffer this association in MPOC. Multiracial people often face discrimination from multiple racial groups (i.e., double rejection) and are less likely to receive the protective in-group benefits their monoracial peers report. Simultaneously, Multiracial people have reported increased ability to traverse social boundaries, which could increase their opportunities for social support. The current study examined how the variables of discrimination, social support, and depression differ across Multiracial, MW, and MPOC. The link between discrimination and depression was evaluated among Multiracial participants. Sources of social support were examined as moderators. Multiple regression analyses conducted among the full sample (N = 1,322, Mage = 40.6 ± 20.5), showed that discrimination did not differ by racial group (p = .54). Social support (p < .001, p = .002), peer support (p = .002, p =.02), and family support (p = .02, p < .001) were higher for MW participants than for MPOC and Multiracial people. Depressive symptom were higher for Multiracial participants than for MPOC participants (p < .001). Among Multiracial participants, discrimination was positively associated with depressive symptoms (p < .001). Overall social support (p < .001), peer support (p =.01), and family support (p = .02) were also negatively associated with depressive symptoms, but were not significant moderators. Results suggest that Multiracial people experience higher depressive symptoms than their MPOC counterparts, and discrimination may be a contributor to these experiences. Future research should include measures better designed to capture the experiences of Multiracial adults in an effort to clarify the validity of the double rejection phenomenon. Interventions to reduce the perpetration of monoracism are needed, as are those to help Multiracial people cope with the depressive symptoms associated with these experiences.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1794/30312
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Oregon
dc.rightsAll Rights Reserved.
dc.subjectDepressionen_US
dc.subjectDiscriminationen_US
dc.subjectDouble Rejectionen_US
dc.subjectMonoracialen_US
dc.subjectMultriracialen_US
dc.subjectSocial Supporten_US
dc.titleDepression among Multiracial Adults: The Role of Discrimination and Social Support
dc.typeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation
thesis.degree.disciplineDepartment of Counseling Psychology and Human Services
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Oregon
thesis.degree.leveldoctoral
thesis.degree.namePh.D.

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