Researcher ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3398-5312

Graduation Year

2018

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Reader 1

Guadalupe Bacio

Reader 2

Richard Lewis

Terms of Use & License Information

Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Rights Information

© 2018 Khushboo Jain

Abstract

Current research has independently studied depression, stigma, and coping mechanisms in relation to culture, yet the effects of perceived stigma on the relationship between depression and control coping are heavily understudied. Typically, studies have broadly focused on comparing eastern and western cultures, but have not analyzed how populations with mixed cultural influences experience depression and stigma and further engage in control coping mechanisms. This study thus explores how perceived stigma moderates the relationship between depressive symptoms and control coping mechanisms for South Asian Americans. The study hypothesizes that the level of perceived stigma will moderate the relationship between depression and control coping such that increases in perceived stigma will increase depressive symptoms and increase secondary control coping, but not primary control coping. South Asian American participants aged 18-24 (M=20.57, SD=1.43, n=110) were recruited via social media and asked to complete three questionnaires assessing intensity of depressive symptoms, perceived stigma, and engagement in control coping. Results indicated that perceived stigma significantly moderated the relationship between depression and primary control coping. As perceived stigma increased, depression increased and primary control coping decreased. The relationship between depression and secondary control coping was not significantly moderated by perceived stigma. Findings imply that perceived stigma in the South Asian American community leads to poor mental health outcomes due to decreased engagement in primary control coping.

Comments

Jain, Khushboo. (2018). Log Kya Kahenge: Psychological well-being and perceived stigma in the South Asian American Community. Pomona College. URL:https://scholarship.claremont.edu/pomona_theses/

Share

COinS