title: Past racial discrimination exacerbates the effects of racial exclusion on negative affect, perceived control, and alcohol-risk cognitions among Black young adults.
abstract: Racial discrimination is associated with alcohol use and risky sex cognitions and behaviors, which are risk factors for negative health outcomes, including human immunodeficiency virus infection. The current study investigated the causal impact of racial discrimination on alcohol and sexual-risk cognitions while exploring potential mediators that might help explain this relation: negative affect, perceived control, and meaningful existence. We also examined if past discrimination impacts the strength of (moderates) these effects. Participants were 287 Black/African American young adults aged 18-25. They were randomly assigned to be excluded or included by White peers via the game Cyberball. Racial exclusion (vs. inclusion) predicted greater: perceived racial discrimination, negative affect, alcohol use willingness, and reduced perceived control and meaningful existence. Furthermore, excluded participants who experienced more past racial discrimination reported the lowest perceived control, and greatest negative affect and alcohol-risk cognitions. The findings suggest that past racial discrimination exacerbates the harmful health effects of immediate experiences of discrimination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The George Washington University, 2125 G St. N.W., Washington, DC, USA. mstock@gwu.edu.
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5224-1103
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Stock
authors.affiliation: Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Laurel M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The George Washington University, 2125 G St. N.W., Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Brianne K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The George Washington University, 2125 G St. N.W., Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Sharon F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Lambert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010379:Peer Group; D010465:Perception; D063505:Racism / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D000068356:Self-Control / Q000523:psychology*; D063508:Social Discrimination / Q000523:psychology*; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol cognitions; Cyberball; Negative affect; Racial discrimination; Racial exclusion; Self-control