(PS7-C52) Ethnic-racial Identity Profiles as a Protective Factor Against Racial Discrimination in Black American Adults

Racial discrimination, defined as attitudes, beliefs, and institutional/systemic arrangements that denigrate members of underrepresented groups, has a significant, adverse influence on the physical and mental health of Black Americans (Brondolo et al., 2009; Clark et al., 1999; Driscoll et al., 2015; Seaton et al., 2020; Torres et al., 2010). Although ethnic-racial identity (ERI) has been theorized to protect against the influence of racial discrimination on Black American mental health, studies have found inconsistent evidence of ERI as protective (Brondolo et al., 2009). Previous studies, however, have mainly relied on variable-centered approaches (i.e., multiple regression) to investigate this relationship, which may overlook important differences among individuals regarding within-group heterogeneity in ERI. This study, therefore, used person-centered analysis to investigate whether distinct profiles of ERI are evident among Black American adults, and whether ERI profiles moderate the relationship between racial discrimination and Black American mental health, particularly depression.
A community sample (n = 247, 59.8% female-identified) of Black American adults (M age = 40.47 years, SD = 16.25) completed self-report measures of ERI, racial discrimination, and depression symptom severity. Latent profile analysis (LPA) of ERI subscales for Exploration and Commitment found evidence of 4 distinct profiles, AIC = 1007.89, BIC = 1053.52, adjusted BIC = 1012.30, LMRT = 67.91, p = .0014, E = .93. Identified profiles corresponded to three stages of ERI development as proposed by Marcia (1980): Diffusion (n = 26, 10.52% of total sample; M Exploration = 1.39, M Commitment = 1.22), Moratorium (n = 43, 17.41% of total sample; M Exploration = 2.33, M Commitment = 2.09), Achievement (n = 98, 39.67% of total sample; M Exploration = 2.90, M Commitment = 3.03); and an additional profile that corresponded to High Achievement (n = 80, 32.39% of total sample; M Exploration = 3.55, M Commitment = 3.91). Subsequent multiple regression analysis predicting depression symptom severity from discrimination, ERI profiles, and the discrimination-ERI profile interaction was significant, adjusted R² = .32, F (9, 222) = 13.05, p < .001. Using Achievement as a referent group, the results indicated significant interactions for discrimination-Diffusion, β = .14, SE = 1.82, t = 2.37, p = .018; and discrimination-Moratorium, β = .13, SE = 1.60, t = 2.03, p = .04. The interaction for discrimination-High Achievement was not significant. Probing interactions indicated that the simple slopes were significant Achievement, β = .31, SE = 0.77, t = 3.92, p < .001; Diffusion, β = .76, SE = 1.67, t = 4.43, p < .001; and Moratorium, β = .65, SE = 1.41, t = 4.46, p < .001. Taken together, the results suggest that, among Black American adults, ERI profiles may moderate the racial discrimination-depression symptom severity relationship, and that an having an ERI profile of Achievement may serve as a protective factor. Results are further discussed in the context of culturally responsive therapeutic interventions that promote ERI and protect against the adverse influence of racial discrimination on Black Americans.