Date of Award

11-2024

Document Type

Doctoral Research Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Radhika Krishnamurthy, Psy.D., ABAP

Second Advisor

Maria J. Lavooy, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Theodore Richardson, Ed.D.

Fourth Advisor

Lisa A. Steelman, Ph.D.

Abstract

Black Americans have endured profound racial discrimination and systemic injustices rooted in the historical legacy of slavery in the United States. These injustices persist today, permeating various facets of life, such as social interactions, education, politics, legal systems, and employment opportunities. Previous research has explored the cultural ramifications of these experiences, which often lead to race-related stressors and negative impacts on the psychological well-being of Black Americans. However, the exploration of how discrimination and racial stressors impact personality test scores of African Americans, such as on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, 3rd edition (MMPI-3), is limited. This study investigated these racial impacts in a community sample of adult Black American men and women (N = 106), sourced from community agencies and organizations mainly in Florida and Georgia and extending to other regions of the U.S. Results found that race-related stress measured with the Index of Race-Related Stressors-Brief (IRRS-B) Global and subscale scores were significantly correlated with 16 MMPI-3 scales’ scores – RCd, RC4, RC7, EAT, HLP, SFD, STR, WRY, CMP, ARX, BRF, FML, JCP, DOM, AGGR, and NEGE – ranging from emotional to behavioral measures, with small to medium effect sizes (r = .19 - .32). While significant positive associations were observed between IRRS-B scales and ten MMPI-3 scores related to emotional difficulty, the effects of racial stress on emotional functioning in this sample were not as pronounced as anticipated. Results from a hierarchical regression analysis indicated that IRRS-B subscales collectively accounted for 5-10% of the variance in six MMPI-3 scale scores. Cultural, Institutional, and Individual Racism emerged as modest predictors for various scales, indicating a limited impact of racial stress on psychological well-being. These results suggest that external factors, such as resilience, religiosity, or the anticipation of racial experiences, may buffer individuals against the psychological impacts of racial stress.

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