Moderating effects of three coping strategies and self-esteem on perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms: A minority stress model for Asian international students.
This study examined 3 coping strategies (reflective, suppressive, and reactive), along with self-esteem, as moderators of the relation between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms. International students (N = 354) from China, India, Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong provided data via an online survey. The role of perceived general stress was statistically controlled. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated a significant direct effect of perceived discrimination, a significant 2-way interaction of perceived discrimination and suppressive coping, and a significant 3-way interaction of perceived discrimination, reactive coping, and self-esteem in predicting depressive symptoms. An increased tendency to use suppressive coping appeared to strengthen the association between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms. In contrast, the association between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms was not significant when reactive coping was infrequently used, but only for students with relatively high self-esteem. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).
Department of Psychology, Iowa State University.
Meifen
M
Wei
Psychology in Education Research Lab, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Iowa State University.
Tsun-Yao
TY
Ku
Department of Human Development and Family Studies and Institute for Social and Behavioral Research, Iowa State University.
Daniel W
0000-0003-2264-861X
DW
Russell
Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee.
Brent
B
Mallinckrodt
Department of Psychology, Iowa State University.
Kelly Yu-Hsin
KY
Liao