PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESS AND INTERNALIZING SYMPTOMS IN BLACK EMERGING ADULTS: THE ROLE OF PHYSIOLOGICAL DYSREGULATION AND CULTURAL SOCIALIZATION

Abstract

Research suggests that ethnic-racial minority emerging adults disproportionately experience higher levels of internalizing problems due to exposure to higher levels of generalized stress (e.g., perceived stress) and unique, race-related stress (e.g., discrimination), which is especially relevant for Black emerging adults. However, few studies have examined the unique contributions of these types of stress and the mechanisms that facilitate their detrimental mental health effects. Informed by existing theoretical models, the current study evaluated the unique contribution of both generalized and discriminatory stress on internalizing symptoms (i.e., anxiety and depression) as well as the mediating role of physiological functioning (i.e., diurnal cortisol slope, C-reactive protein) on these associations. Further, the current study takes astrength-based approach by examining the potential protective role of cultural socialization on the links among psychosocial stress, physiological functioning, and internalizing symptoms. Findings indicate that generalized stress and discriminatory stress both contribute to depressive symptoms and physiological functioning in Black emerging adults, although the links between psychosocial stress and internalizing symptoms were not mediated by physiological functioning. In addition, cultural socialization protected or exacerbated the effects of psychosocial stress on mental and physiological health outcomes depending on the type and severity of the stressor. These findings suggest that therapeutic treatment and intervention efforts for Black emerging adults should consider the impact of both types of stress on these youth’s mental and physiological health as well as the nuanced role of cultural socialization on these links. Future research should examine how other types of psychosocial stress, mediating mechanisms, and resilience processes may impact the mental and physiological health outcomes of Black emerging adults.