Abstract

Objective: Prolonged experiences of discrimination can be a major source of physical and health-related stress, particularly in older Black Americans. However, there is limited information on the relation between discrimination and anxiety, particularly within the context of other constructs that influence the manifestation of anxiety symptoms. For example, several studies have suggested that ethnic identification may provide psychological and social resources to deal with the effects of discrimination. This study aims to further understand these processes.

Method: This study utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine predictors of anxiety symptom severity in a sample of African American and Afro-Caribbean adults aged 55 and older from the National Survey of American Life (N = 1,032).

Results: The final structural regression model revealed acceptable fit indices, and was successful in measuring latent anxiety symptom severity, showing that more experienced discrimination was related to higher anxiety and anxiety was directly related to mental health rating. While higher experience of discrimination was associated with higher anxiety, it was not directly related to mental health rating. However, contrary to expectation, ethnic identification did not serve as a protective factor between experienced discrimination and anxiety. As individuals aged, they experienced less discrimination and reported poorer self-rated mental health.

Conclusions: While age served as a protective factor for perceived discrimination and anxiety symptom severity, ethnic identification did not. Implications for those working to reduce anxiety symptoms among Black Americans are discussed.

摘要

目标：长期的歧视经历可能是身体和健康相关压力的主要来源，尤其是在年长的美国黑人中。然而，关于歧视和焦虑之间关系的信息有限，特别是在影响焦虑症状表现的其他结构的背景下。例如，一些研究表明，种族认同可以提供心理和社会资源来应对歧视的影响。本研究旨在进一步了解这些过程。

方法：本研究利用结构方程模型 (SEM) 来检查来自美国生活国家调查 ( N  = 1,032)的 55 岁及以上的非洲裔美国人和非洲裔加勒比成年人样本中焦虑症状严重程度的预测因子。

结果：最终的结构回归模型揭示了可接受的拟合指数，并成功地测量了潜在焦虑症状的严重程度，表明更多的歧视与更高的焦虑有关，而焦虑与心理健康评级直接相关。虽然较高的歧视经历与较高的焦虑有关，但与心理健康评级没有直接关系。然而，出乎意料的是，种族认同并没有成为经历过的歧视和焦虑之间的保护因素。随着年龄的增长，他们受到的歧视较少，自评心理健康状况较差。

结论：虽然年龄是感知歧视和焦虑症状严重程度的保护因素，但种族认同没有。讨论了那些致力于减少美国黑人焦虑症状的人的影响。