Emotional resilience is defined as "the ability to adapt well to stressful situations and cope with adversities while maintaining one's psychological functioning". This means that people who are emotionally resilient have developed the capacity to effectively manage their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors during difficult times. They can bounce back from setbacks, handle challenges, and thrive despite hardship. On the contrary, discrimination involves treating someone differently based on characteristics such as race, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, appearance, religion, national origin, etc., which leads to negative consequences like stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and life dissatisfaction. How does emotional resilience moderate the effects of discrimination? Can it help individuals overcome these negative impacts and enjoy long-term mental health and life satisfaction? To answer this question, let us examine empirical studies.
In a study conducted by researchers from Harvard Medical School, participants were randomly assigned into two groups: a control group receiving no treatment and an intervention group participating in weekly sessions where they practiced mindfulness meditation and yoga for eight weeks. The results showed that the intervention group had greater reductions in perceived stress, anxiety, and depression than the control group. In addition, they experienced higher levels of positive emotions such as joy, happiness, and hope. These findings support the view that emotional resilience can be cultivated through various techniques, including mindfulness practice.
Another study published in the Journal of Social Issues investigated how emotional intelligence (a related concept to emotional resilience) could buffer the adverse impacts of racial microaggressions. Racial microaggressions are subtle insults or slights directed towards people of color, which often go unnoticed due to their covert nature. Participants completed measures of emotional intelligence and reported experiences of racial microaggressions. As expected, those who scored high on emotional intelligence felt less impacted by racial microaggressions than those with lower scores. This suggests that having the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions can protect against the harmful consequences of discrimination.
A study conducted at the University of California at Berkeley examined the relationship between discrimination and depressive symptoms among LGBTQ+ individuals. It found that emotional resilience was negatively associated with depressive symptoms among those who experienced high levels of daily discrimination.
This association was not significant among those who experienced low to moderate levels of discrimination. This indicates that emotional resilience may play a role in mitigating the negative effects of discrimination for some individuals but not others.
These studies suggest that emotional resilience can help buffer the negative impacts of discrimination on long-term mental health and life satisfaction. People who have developed emotional resilience skills are better equipped to handle difficult situations, maintain positive feelings, and bounce back from setbacks. While more research is needed to understand the exact mechanisms underlying this relationship, cultivating emotional resilience through mindfulness practices and other techniques may be an effective strategy for promoting wellbeing amidst adversity.
How does emotional resilience moderate the effects of discrimination on long-term mental health and life satisfaction?
Research has shown that individuals with higher levels of emotional resilience are less likely to experience negative psychological effects from experiencing discrimination compared to those who have lower levels of emotional resilience. Studies have found that people with high levels of emotional resilience can cope more effectively with stressful situations such as discrimination and maintain their overall well-being and life satisfaction.