Cénat Jude Mary, Kouamou Lesly Nzeusseu, Moshirian Farahi Seyed Mohammad Mahdi, Darius Wina Paul, Dalexis Rose Darly, Charles Michée, Kogan Cary S
School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Interdisciplinary Centre for Black Health, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; University of Ottawa Research Chair on Black Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
J Psychosom Res. 2022 Dec;163:111053. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2022.111053. Epub 2022 Oct 7.
Although no study has explored psychosomatic symptoms in Black communities in Canada, several studies in the United States showed that psychological distress is often express as physical pain among African Americans. Using a cross-sectional design, the present study documents the frequency of psychosomatic symptoms and its association to racial discrimination, and resilience among Black individuals aged 15 to 40 in Canada.
A total of 860 participants (M = 25.0 years, SD = 6.3), predominantly born in Canada (79.1%) and women (75.6%), completed the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (somatization subscale), the Everyday Discrimination Scale, and the Resilience Scale-14.
Findings revealed that 81.7% of participants experienced psychosomatic symptoms, with higher prevalence among women (84.2%) compared to men (70.7%;), ꭓ = 21.5, p < .001; participants aged 25 to 40 years old (93.7%) compared to those aged 15-24 years old (75.2%) (ꭓ = 45.0, p < .001). Participants reporting greater racial discrimination had more psychosomatic symptoms (89.4%) compared to others (72.9%), ꭓ = 39.2, p < .001). A moderated mediation model showed that everyday racial discrimination was positively associated with psychosomatic symptoms (B = 0.1, SE = 0.01, p < .001). The model showed that the association between racial discrimination and psychosomatic symptoms was partially mediated by resilience (B = -0.01, SE = 0.0, p < .01), and negatively moderated by gender (B = -0.04, SE = 0.01, p < .01). In other words, being a woman is associated with higher levels of psychosomatic symptoms among those who have experienced racial discrimination.
By highlighting the association between racial discrimination and psychosomatic symptoms and the role of resilience and gender in this relation, this article reveals important factors to integrate to improve healthcare services, prevention, and interventions among Black individuals with psychosomatic symptoms.
尽管尚无研究探讨加拿大黑人社区的身心症状，但美国的多项研究表明，非裔美国人的心理困扰常表现为身体疼痛。本研究采用横断面设计，记录了加拿大15至40岁黑人个体身心症状的发生频率及其与种族歧视和心理韧性的关联。
共有860名参与者（M = 25.0岁，SD = 6.3），主要出生于加拿大（79.1%），女性占75.6%，完成了症状自评量表90修订版（躯体化分量表）、日常歧视量表和心理韧性量表14。
研究结果显示，81.7%的参与者有身心症状，女性患病率（84.2%）高于男性（70.7%），χ² = 21.5，p <.001；25至40岁的参与者（93.7%）高于15至24岁的参与者（75.2%）（χ² = 45.0，p <.001）。报告遭受更多种族歧视的参与者比其他人有更多身心症状（89.4%），χ² = 39.2，p <.001）。一个有调节的中介模型显示，日常种族歧视与身心症状呈正相关（B = 0.1，SE = 0.01，p <.001）。该模型表明，种族歧视与身心症状之间的关联部分由心理韧性介导（B = -0.01，SE = 0.0，p <.01），且受性别负向调节（B = -0.04，SE =,01，p <.01）。换句话说，在经历过种族歧视的人群中，女性与更高水平的身心症状相关。
通过强调种族歧视与身心症状之间的关联以及心理韧性和性别的作用，本文揭示了一些重要因素，以便整合这些因素来改善对有身心症状的黑人个体的医疗服务、预防和干预。
