What is Minority Stress?
Minority stress refers to the unique psychological experiences that individuals from marginalized groups face due to their group membership or identity. These experiences can include discrimination, prejudice, stigma, marginalization, and microaggressions. Examples include experiencing racism, homophobia, ableism, ageism, sexism, and religious bigotry.
Perceived Social Support
Perceived social support refers to an individual's perception of how much emotional, instrumental, or appraisal support they receive from others. This can come from family, friends, romantic partners, work colleagues, community members, or other sources. High levels of perceived social support are associated with positive mental health outcomes such as increased resilience, better coping skills, lower rates of depression and anxiety, and improved self-esteem.
Effects of Minority Stress on Mental Health Outcomes
Research has found that minority stress can have negative effects on mental health outcomes such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, suicidality, substance abuse, and physical health conditions.
Black Americans experience higher rates of chronic stress due to systemic racism which leads to worse mental health outcomes. LGBTQ+ individuals may experience greater discrimination and microaggressions leading to higher rates of depression and anxiety.
Moderation by Perceived Social Support
Some research suggests that perceived social support can moderate the negative effects of minority stress on mental health outcomes. In a study of college students, those who reported high levels of perceived social support had lower levels of depression and anxiety even when exposed to more daily racial discrimination. Another study found that African American women with high levels of perceived social support had lower levels of depressive symptoms than those without.
Implications for Policy and Practice
The findings suggest that policies and interventions aimed at reducing minority stress and increasing perceived social support could improve mental health outcomes for marginalized groups. This includes addressing systemic discrimination, providing culturally competent therapy and counseling services, and promoting community-based resources and supports. It also highlights the importance of fostering safe and supportive relationships within marginalized communities through peer support groups, affinity spaces, and other social networks.
To what extent does perceived social support moderate the effects of minority stress on mental health outcomes?
There is growing evidence that suggests perceived social support may buffer individuals against negative impacts of minority stress on mental health outcomes. Minority stress refers to experiences unique to individuals who belong to marginalized racial/ethnic groups such as African Americans, Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans.