Overt and Subtle Racial Discrimination and Mental Health: Preliminary Findings for Korean Immigrants

The results emphasize the salience of subtle discrimination for the mental health of Asian immigrants.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We examined differential effects of overt and subtle forms of racial discrimination on 2 dimensions of mental health-positive affect and depressive symptoms, and explored the mediating roles of emotional arousal and cognitive appraisal. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey data were collected through face-to-face interviews with a sample (N=180) of adult Korean immigrants living in Toronto, Ontario. Maximum likelihood estimates of path coefficients were obtained using structural equation models. RESULTS: Perceived racial discrimination was associated with both the erosion of positive affect and depressive symptoms. Overt discrimination was associated with the erosion of positive affect, and subtle discrimination was associated with depressive symptoms. Effects of subtle discrimination on depressive symptoms were mediated through cognitive appraisal. CONCLUSIONS: The results emphasize the salience of subtle discrimination for the mental health of Asian immigrants. Experiences of overt racial bias seemed to be of little importance for the levels of depressive symptoms among those in our sample, although the experience of blatant discrimination tended to reduce positive mood.