(PS3-26) Private Regard and Mental Health: A Study on Racial Identity and Clinical Distress

Minorities, overrepresented in low-SES communities, encounter systemic stressors like discrimination and financial limitations (Keita, 2021), restricting access to mental health care. Research suggests that an individual’s private regard acts as a protective factor for mental health outcomes. Private regard refers to one’s positive or negative feelings and sense of belonging towards their racial/ethnic group (Lewis et al. 2017).  Positive racial identity is likely associated with positive mental health and psychological well-being, but there is still a lack of existing research investigating the complexities of private regard (Caldwell et al. 2002). This study aims to elucidate how private regard affects psychological functioning and the role of race/ethnicity in this dynamic.

The current study investigates the potential link between private regard and measures of clinical distress, specifically recent suicide ideation, and whether racial/ethnic groups moderated this relationship. Participants (n = 300, White (31.4%) Asian (23.8%), Black (15.6%), Hispanic (27%), Middle Eastern/North African (8.6%), Native American/Pacific Islander (0.6%)) were recruited through the psychology participant pool and social media advertisements to university student groups. Participants completed surveys assessing several constructs, including beliefs about one’s ethnic-racial identity and clinical distress.  Relevant questionnaires utilized included the MIBI, the PHQ-9, and the DERS (Lewis et al. 2018,  Johnson et al. 2002, Gratz & Roemer 2004). Correlations were used to investigate the relationship between private regard, suicide ideation, and depression. Multiple regression examined if the relationship between private regard and depression was moderated by racial/ethnic group. 

Preliminary analyses revealed that higher private regard was associated with higher rates of suicidal ideation (r(298) = -.166, p =.014), but the correlation between private regard and depression was not significant. No interactions were found among racial groups, although White students (M = 17.5, SD = 6.33) may report more depressive symptoms on average than other racial/ethnic groups (M = 17.27, SD = 6.07), as this relationship was approaching significance, b = .123, p = .07. No significant differences were found when interactions were examined by racial/ethnic groups, potentially attributable to limited statistical power within these groups. Future analyses will assess the relationship between private regard, lifetime suicidality, and emotion dysregulation, while also investigating potential moderation by other demographic groups. Although the relationship between private regard and suicide ideation is a rather unexpected finding, this may be due to phenomena such as internalized racism, or external stressors such as discrimination and marginalization. By investigating this relationship, we aim to contribute to existing research by illuminating the processes by which private regard is associated with clinical distress and psychological well-being. Through honing into this phenomenon, we hope to improve our understanding of how race impacts one’s psychological well-being, so clinicians can better treat their clients of color.