Discrimination, Coping, and Diurnal Cortisol: A Daily Diary Study Among Latinx Adolescents in the U.S

• Published in: Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024-02, Vol.160, p.106757, Article 106757
• Main Authors: Sarsar, Evelyn, Zeiders, Katharine H., Hoyt, Lindsay T., Wilkinson-Lee, Ada M., Landor, Antoinette M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0306-4530; 1873-3360
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106757

Racial discrimination (RD) remains a salient stressor within U.S. society. Biopsychosocial models suggest that HPA- axis activation (and diurnal cortisol) mediates the association between RD stress and health (Clark et al., 1999). Empirical work links RD to diurnal cortisol among adolescents (Zeiders et al., 2012); however, less work focuses on coping and its relation to physiological processes. Coping may buffer the stress-cortisol link (Sladek et al., 2017), but may have unique associations when it comes to RD (Brittian et al., 2013). Our study investigated the occurrence of RD in Latinx youths’ daily lives, their coping responses, and the relation to daily diurnal cortisol slopes. Youth (n = 60; 48.3% girls, Mage = 14 years; SD = 1.46) completed a four-day daily diary in which they self-reported on experiences of RD and coping strategies. Salivary samples were taken at waking and bedtime across the days. Adolescents reported, on average, one experience of RD each day; 65% reported at least one RD across the study period. The most commonly used coping strategy was proactive coping. Multilevel modeling examining within- person effects of RD and coping on diurnal cortisol suggested that RD related to youths’ diurnal slopes differently based on coping. Specifically, when aggressive coping was not used, RD related to flatter diurnal slopes the next day; however, when aggressive coping was used, RD related to steeper diurnal slopes. Proactive coping did not emerge as a protective factor. The discussion will focus on the physiological effects of RD and the nuanced role of coping strategies.