Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now
U.S. flag
An official website of the United States government
Veterans Benefits and Health Care About VA Find a VA Location

VA Health Systems Research

Go to the VA ORD website
Go to the QUERI website

HSR&D Citation Abstract

Search | Search by Center | Search by Source | Keywords in Title

Racial Discrimination in Late Adolescence and Mental Health Outcomes Among Participants in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics.

Guerrero N, Yu X, Raphael J, O'Connor T. Racial Discrimination in Late Adolescence and Mental Health Outcomes Among Participants in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine. 2023 Aug 1; 73(2):302-309.

Dimensions for VA is a web-based tool available to VA staff that enables detailed searches of published research and research projects.

If you have VA-Intranet access, click here for more information vaww.hsrd.research.va.gov/dimensions/

VA staff not currently on the VA network can access Dimensions by registering for an account using their VA email address.    Search Dimensions for VA for this citation
* Don't have VA-internal network access or a VA email address? Try searching the free-to-the-public version of Dimensions


Abstract:

PURPOSE: To assess whether racial discrimination experienced at ages 18-21 years is associated with psychological distress and well-being, and investigate potential moderators of this relationship. METHODS: We used panel data collected from 2005 to 2017 from 661 participants in the Transition into Adulthood Supplement of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. The Everyday Discrimination Scale measured racial discrimination. The Kessler six and Mental Health Continuum Short Form assessed psychological distress and well-being, respectively. Generalized linear mixed modeling was used to model outcomes and test potential moderating variables. RESULTS: Approximately 25% of participants experienced high levels of racial discrimination. In analyses of panel data, these participants had significantly worse psychological distress (odds ratio  = 6.04, 95% confidence interval: 3.41, 8.67) and lower levels of emotional well-being (odds ratio  = 4.61, 95% confidence interval: 1.87, 7.36) compared to those who did not. Race and ethnicity moderated the relationship. DISCUSSION: Exposure to racial discrimination in late adolescence was associated with worse mental health outcomes. This study has important implications for interventions addressing the need for mental health support that is critical for adolescents who experience racial discrimination.




Questions about the HSR website? Email the Web Team

Any health information on this website is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any condition.