Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2025

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents
Published on: July 10, 2017
Belonging Exacerbates the Relations Between Racial Climate Stress and Physiological Dysregulation
Stacey N Doan1,2, Alicia S Davis3, Molly Lazarus3
1Claremont McKenna College, Department of Psychological Science, Claremont, CA, 91711, USA. sdoan@cmc.edu.
Feeling a sense of institutional belonging can worsen the health impacts of racial climate stress for college students. This connection between belonging and physiological dysregulation highlights a critical area for support and intervention.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Health Sciences
Background:
- Belonging is typically viewed as protective against discrimination.
- However, institutional belonging may exacerbate stress when discrimination occurs within that institution.
- Racial climate stress can negatively impact health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the moderating role of institutional belonging.
- To investigate its effect on the relationship between racial climate stress and health.
- To use allostatic load (AL) as a measure of physiological dysregulation.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 150 Black and White college students participated.
- Data collected included self-reported racial climate stress and institutional belonging.
- Allostatic load (AL) was measured using six biological indicators.
Main Results:
- No direct effect of racial climate stress on AL was found.
- A significant interaction between racial climate stress and belonging was observed.
- The positive association between racial climate stress and AL was significant only for individuals with high institutional belonging.
Conclusions:
- Institutional belonging may have detrimental physiological effects.
- This is particularly true for students experiencing racial climate stress in college.
- Findings suggest a complex interplay between social connection and health under stress.
More Related Videos
11:13The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
05:03Author Spotlight: Unveiling Mechanisms of Stress Resilience - Significant Findings, Advancements, and Future Research
Published on: December 15, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle
Psychological Responses to Stress
Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
Physiological Foundation of Stress
Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System
Adrenaline triggers the...
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques II
Type A Personality: Driven and Easily Stressed
Individuals with Type A personalities are often highly competitive and ambitious and operate with a strong sense of urgency. Commonly labeled as...