title: Impostor feelings as a moderator and mediator of the relationship between perceived discrimination and mental health among racial/ethnic minority college students.
abstract: This study investigated whether impostor feelings would both moderate and mediate the relationship between perceived discrimination and mental health in a sample of diverse ethnic minority college students (106 African Americans, 102 Asian Americans, 108 Latino/a Americans) at an urban public university. African American students reported higher perceived discrimination than Asian American and Latino/a American students, while no racial/ethnic group differences were reported for impostor feelings. Analyses revealed that among African American students, high levels of impostor feelings moderated the perceived discrimination and depression relationship and mediated the perceived discrimination and anxiety relationship. Among Asian American students, impostor feelings mediated the relationship between perceived discrimination and both depression and anxiety. Among Latino/a American students low levels of impostor feelings moderated the relationship between perceived discrimination and both depression and anxiety, and partially mediated the relationship between perceived discrimination and anxiety. Multigroup path analyses revealed a significantly stronger impact of impostor feelings on depression among African American students and a stronger impact of perceived discrimination on impostor feelings among African American and Latino/a American students. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7873-3261
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cokley
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin.
authors.forename: Leann
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8144-1016
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: Donte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hurst
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin.
authors.forename: Stacey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin.
authors.forename: Olufunke
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Awosogba
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin.
authors.forename: Chastity
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saucer
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin.
authors.forename: Marlon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, University of Texas at Austin.
authors.forename: Davia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D063505:Racism / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception; D015206:Southwestern United States; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult