Revisiting the Black-White Mental Health Paradox During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Black Americans have lower rates of depression and anxiety than Whites, despite greater exposure to stressors known to negatively impact mental health, characterized as the Black-White mental health paradox. This study revisited the paradox during the coronavirus pandemic. Drawing on stress process...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities 2023-12, Vol.10 (6), p.2802-2815
Main Authors: LaMotte, Megan E., Elliott, Marta, Mouzon, Dawne M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
African Americans
Black or African American - psychology
Coping
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Epidemiology
Group identity
Health disparities
Humans
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Mental Health
Pandemics
Paradoxes
Police
Police brutality
Polls & surveys
Quality of Life Research
Race
Racial discrimination
Racial identity
Racism
Self esteem
Social Inequality
Social Structure
Stress
Surveys
Well being
White - psychology
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Summary:Black Americans have lower rates of depression and anxiety than Whites, despite greater exposure to stressors known to negatively impact mental health, characterized as the Black-White mental health paradox. This study revisited the paradox during the coronavirus pandemic. Drawing on stress process theory, minority stress theory, and the rejection-identification model of discrimination, in-group identity, and well-being, we analyzed original survey data from a quota sample of African American and White adults ( N  = 594). The survey included a range of stressors and coping resources, including those relevant to the pandemic (e.g., COVID-19 illness) and race (e.g., witnessing anti-Black police violence). Results indicate that despite African Americans’ greater exposure and vulnerability to racial discrimination, the Black-White mental health paradox holds, owing in part to protective effects of African American’s higher self-esteem. Directions for future exploration of the paradox are presented based on this study’s findings.
ISSN:2197-3792
2196-8837
DOI:10.1007/s40615-022-01457-6