The Role of Ethnicity and Mental Health in Coping, Stress, and Self-Compassion

Kryzsko Commons Ballroom, Winona, Minnesota

The relationship between one's ethnic identity and mental health status plays a major role towards an individuals' level of perceived stress, coping mechanisms, and self-compassion. For some individuals this could be explained by different race-related stressors, racism, discrimination, and lower mental health status. This specific race-related stress that is associated with ethnic identity has numerous physiological, emotional, and mental outcomes. The present study sought to examine the relationship that ethnicity and mental health status have among perceived stress, coping mechanisms, and selfcompassion. Although data collection is ongoing, preliminary analyses indicates that participants (N=146) are 79% women and 19% are men. Additionally, 84% of participants are in the majority ethnic group (i.e., white) and 14% are in the minority ethnic group. Participants took an anonymous online survey with questions about coping, perceived stress, self-compassion, anxiety, and depression. Independent t-tests were calculated to determine if there was a difference in the given variables, between minority and majority ethnic statuses. Currently, results indicate that there are no significant differences between those in the minority ethnic group in comparison to those in the majority ethnic group for levels of self-compassion, coping mechanisms, perceived stress, anxiety, and depression. Means do trend in a direction that suggest those in the minority ethnic group might have higher anxiety and depression. Given the current non-significant results, it can be concluded that there are no differences between minority and majority ethnic groups and mental health status, stress, coping mechanisms, and self-compassion. It is important to note that these variables are experienced differently between the specific ethnic groups in the overall minority group, as shown in past research. Although it didn't hold in the current study, future research should explore how ethnicity is connected to stress, coping, mental health status, and self-compassion. The current study was limited as there a limited number of participants in the minority group. Future research should conduct selective sampling for those that are in the ethnic minority group.