Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, UK.
Department of Psychology, Maynooth University, Ireland.
J Affect Disord. 2025 Jan 15;369:913-921. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.09.128. Epub 2024 Sep 19.
Limited research has examined whether accumulation of discrimination over time is associated with worse mental health and whether such experiences are related to socioeconomic status (SES).
A sample of UK adults with self-reported discrimination experiences (n = 3863) was taken from three waves of the UK Household Longitudinal Study (2015-2020). Multinomial logistic regression assessed associations between SES (income, education, occupation) and cumulative discrimination (number of timepoints discrimination was reported). Logistic regression models assessed prospective associations between cumulative discrimination and probable mental health problems (GHQ-12; 4+ threshold).
Those with lower income were more likely to report discrimination at one timepoint (vs. none). No SES measures were associated with experiencing discrimination at multiple timepoints. Participants who reported one timepoint of discrimination (vs. no experiences) were significantly more likely to report probable mental health problems (OR = 1.47, p < .001, 95% CI 1.20-1.80). Moreover, compared to those experiencing one timepoint, participants reporting multiple timepoints of discrimination were significantly more likely to report probable mental health problems (OR = 1.46, p = .002, 95% CI 1.15-1.86), indicating a cumulative association between discrimination and mental health. There was limited evidence that SES moderated this cumulative association.
Mental health measures were based on self-report questionnaires and not a clinical diagnosis.
Amongst a sample of UK adults, perceiving discrimination at multiple timepoints increased the likelihood of experiencing probable mental health problems. There was limited evidence that this cumulative association differed by SES. National measures designed to reduce discrimination may benefit mental health.
关于歧视的积累是否与心理健康状况恶化有关，以及这些经历是否与社会经济地位（SES）有关，相关研究还很有限。
从英国家庭纵向研究（2015-2020 年）的三个波次中抽取了有自我报告歧视经历的英国成年人样本（n=3863）。使用多项逻辑回归评估 SES（收入、教育、职业）与累积歧视（报告歧视的时间点数量）之间的关联。逻辑回归模型评估了累积歧视与可能的心理健康问题（GHQ-12；阈值为 4+）之间的前瞻性关联。
收入较低者更有可能在一个时间点报告歧视（而非无）。没有 SES 指标与在多个时间点报告歧视有关。与没有经历过歧视的人相比，报告一个时间点歧视的参与者报告可能存在心理健康问题的可能性明显更高（OR=1.47，p<.001，95%CI 1.20-1.80）。此外，与报告一个时间点歧视的参与者相比，报告多个时间点歧视的参与者报告可能存在心理健康问题的可能性明显更高（OR=1.46，p=0.002，95%CI 1.15-1.86），表明歧视与心理健康之间存在累积关联。SES 对此累积关联的调节作用有限。
心理健康衡量标准基于自我报告的问卷，而不是临床诊断。
在英国成年人样本中，多次经历歧视会增加出现可能心理健康问题的可能性。SES 对此累积关联的调节作用有限。旨在减少歧视的国家措施可能有益于心理健康。
