Perceived racism and well-being in University racial/ethnic minority students: the complex roles of racial/ethnic identity and self-esteem

Perceived racism is the subjective experience one has regarding racism, which may come in the form of blatant discrimination or microaggressions. This study investigated and compared the relations of perceived blatant discrimination and microaggression to university students’ well-being (physical and psychological health, academic adjustment), and how the associations may be influenced by racial/ethnic identity and self-esteem. A self-report survey from racial/ethnic minority university students showed that higher perceived racism was associated with higher stress levels, more somatic symptoms, and worse academic adjustment. Microaggression showed larger negative impact than blatant discrimination. Racial/ethnic identity showed complex effects—a large positive effect by promoting self-esteem and a modest negative effect by intensifying the perception of microaggression. Self-esteem was strongly associated with well-being, yet it also exacerbated the negative association between microaggression and academic adjustment. These findings suggest that racism—microaggression in particular—harm racial/ethnic minority university students in multiple aspects, and that racial/ethnic identity and self-esteem are primarily protective factors, yet mechanisms leading to negative outcomes also exist.