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Internalized racism and self-esteem: Do depressive symptoms matter?
Katheryn Roberson1, Alex L Pieterse1
1Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology.
Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology
|May 20, 2021
Summary
Internalized racism negatively impacts self-esteem in students of Color, even when accounting for depression. Promoting racial pride may be a key intervention strategy.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Internalized racism is linked to adverse mental health outcomes in people of Color.
- The precise relationship between internalized racism, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms requires further clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between internalized racism and self-esteem among students of Color.
- To control for the influence of depressive symptoms in this relationship.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 140 students of Color (diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds) participated.
- Hierarchical linear regression was employed for data analysis.
Main Results:
- A significant inverse relationship was found between internalized racism and self-esteem, even after controlling for depressive symptoms.
- The devaluation of one's racial group emerged as the primary factor contributing to this inverse relationship.
Conclusions:
- Lowered self-esteem can be a psychological response to internalized racism, distinct from pathological states.
- Interventions focused on fostering racial pride may be beneficial for students of Color, particularly given the impact of devaluation.
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