Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents
Published on: July 10, 2017
Online racial discrimination and psychological adjustment among adolescents
Brendesha M Tynes1, Michael T Giang, David R Williams
1Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois 61820, USA. tynes@illinois.edu
Purpose:
To examine associations between individual and vicarious racial discrimination via the Internet and psychological adjustment.
Methods:
This study was a cross-sectional survey using a school-based sample of adolescents. Two hundred sixty-four high school students aged 14-18 completed the online survey.
Results:
Twenty percent of whites, 29% of African Americans and 42% of multiracials/other experienced individual discrimination and approximately 71% of African Americans and whites and 67% of multiracials witnessed discrimination experienced by same-race and cross-race peers. Hierarchical linear regressions revealed that individual racial discrimination was significantly related to depression and anxiety over and above offline measures. Vicarious discrimination was not related to psychological adjustment measures.
Conclusions:
Adolescents frequently experienced both individual and vicarious discrimination online. Consistent with offline studies, online racial discrimination was negatively associated with psychological functioning. This study highlights the need to address racial issues in Internet safety prevention.
Related Concept Videos
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Bullying
Surveys
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth. This guiding role...
