Investigating the Role of Place of Residence in the Relationship between Discrimination and Mental Health in American Indian Adults.

Abstract

Experiences of discrimination are linked to mental health in American Indians. Less is known about how place of residence (i.e., living on or off a reservation) relates to discrimination frequency and whether the strength and nature of the relationship between discrimination and mental health varies as a function of different living environments. In the current study, we examined frequency of discrimination, main reasons for discrimination, and relationships between discrimination for American Indians living both on and off a reservation. Relative to American Indian adults living off a reservation, American Indian adults living on reservation reported more experiences of discrimination (F(1, 846) = [15.94], p<.01, η² = .02) and identified more reasons for discrimination (F(1, 846) = [17.789], p<.001, η² = .02). Across residential contexts, race-related discrimination was most common, followed by gender discrimination. The relationship between discrimination and anxiety was significant in both residential contexts, while the relationship between discrimination frequency and depressive symptoms was only significant for those living outside of a tribal reservation. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how environmental context may affect patterns of discrimination and the relationship between discrimination and mental health in American Indians. Future research should elucidate resilience factors that are specific to living environments to reduce the negative impacts of discrimination on mental health for American Indian adults.