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The buffering role of in‐group identification and intergroup contact on the association between perceived discrimination and mental health
Author(s) -
Bagci Sabahat C.,
Turnuklu Abbas,
Bekmezci Eyup
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of community and applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.042
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1099-1298
pISSN - 1052-9284
DOI - 10.1002/casp.2357
Subject(s) - psychology , mental health , disadvantaged , anxiety , association (psychology) , identification (biology) , clinical psychology , depression (economics) , psychiatry , psychotherapist , biology , botany , macroeconomics , political science , law , economics
Previous research has shown that disadvantaged group members cope with the negative effects of perceived discrimination (PD) on mental health using various mechanisms. We examined the potential protective role of two processes—in‐group identification and intergroup contact—on the association between PD and mental health (anxiety and depression) among physically disabled adults ( N = 269, M age = 39.13, SD = 13.80). Intergroup contact, but not in‐group identification, had a buffering role on the association between PD and both depression and anxiety. However, this effect was further moderated by in‐group identification such that high levels of intergroup contact had a protective role against PD, only when in‐group identification was low. Findings highlight the importance of evaluating various social–psychological processes interactively in creating a resilient outlook among disadvantaged groups.