Sense of Belonging, Racial Microaggressions, and Depressive Symptoms among Students of Asian Descent in the United States

ABSTRACT

This study explored the moderating role of sense of belonging on the relations between racial microaggressions and depressive symptoms. Using survey data from students of Asian descent in the United States (N = 553) at a predominantly White university, we found that racial microaggressions and sense of belonging significantly predicted depressive symptoms. In addition, sense of belonging moderated the relations between racial microaggressions and depressive symptoms. Specifically, having a higher level of sense of belonging had a counter effect against the detrimental impact of racial microaggressions on the depressive symptoms. Implications for research and practice in higher education are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Racism
• discrimination
• college students
• campus climate
• mental health
• depression

Acknowledgments

Authors thank the Racial Microaggressions research team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

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Notes on contributors

Shinwoo Choi

Dr. Shinwoo Choi research and teaching interests are on diversity, inclusion, and cultural competency in social work. She is interested in the effects of perceived racial discrimination including racial microaggressions on racial minority immigrants’ psychological well-being and their coping strategies.

Suzie Weng

Dr. Suzie Weng research focuses on access to and utilization of social services through a cultural lens both in terms of barriers and interventions. Dr. Weng served as a consultant for Asian American organizations and was a board member for Project for Healing, an organization that provides mental health services for refugees.

Hyejoon Park

Dr. Hyejoon Park research interests include child health (psychosocial health and obesity) and the educational needs of children from low-income ethnic-minority families, evaluation of school and community services and programs (e.g., mentoring programs, childcare services, head start programs, After- school programs), welfare and social policies for immigrant families, and Relative/Kinship-care.

Jioni Lewis

Dr. Jioni Lews research examines the influence of discrimination on the mental and physical health of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Her work explores the intersection of racism and sexism experienced by Black women, as well as resilience and protective factors, and the influence of subtle forms of racism experienced by BIPOC college students.

Stacy A. Harwood

Dr. Stacy A. Harwood is an urban planning scholar and educator on immigration, community development, racial justice and local public policy with publications in Annals of the American Association of Geographers, City & Community, and more. While doing all the conventional scholarly work, she has also established a long-standing track record in providing technical assistance to community organizations and developing innovative approaches to teaching in the classroom. 

Ruby Mendenhall

Dr. Ruby Mendenhall research focuses on issues of social inequality over the life course and the role of public policy and individuals’ agency in facilitating social and economic mobility.  She uses quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze administrative welfare and employment data, census data, in-depth interviews, and focus group data.

Margaret Browne Huntt

Dr. Margaret Browne Huntt is the Assistant Director for Strategic Research Initiatives & Chief Diversity Officer at the Cancer Center at Illinois (the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). She works with higher education and private sector organizations to conceptualize and implement data-driven strategic initiatives that embed inclusive excellence at its core.