Discrimination and Adjustment Among Chinese American Adolescents: Family Conflict and Family Cohesion as Vulnerability and Protective Factors

Objectives We examined racial/ethnic discrimination experiences of Chinese American adolescents to determine how discrimination is linked to poor adjustment (i e loneliness anxiety and somatization) and how the context of the family can buffer or exacerbate these links Methods We collected survey data from 181 Chinese American adolescents and their parents in Northern California We conducted hierarchical regression analyses to examine main effects and 2 way interactions of perceived discrimination with family conflict and family cohesion Results Discrimination was related to poorer adjustment in terms of loneliness anxiety and somatization but family conflict and cohesion modified these relations Greater family conflict exacerbated the negative effects of discrimination and greater family cohesion buffered the negative effects of discrimination Conclusions Our findings highlight the importance of identifying family level moderators to help adolescents and their families handle experiences of discrimination (Am J Public Health 2010 100 2403-2409 doi 10 2105/AJPH 2009 185959)