Samuele Zilioli1, Ledina Imami2, Anthony D Ong3, Mark A Lumley4, Tara Gruenewald5. 1. Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, United States; Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University, United States. Electronic address: samuele.zilioli@wayne.edu. 2. Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, United States. Electronic address: ledina.imami@wayne.edu. 3. Department of Human Development, Cornell University, United States; Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, United States. Electronic address: ado4@cornell.edu. 4. Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, United States. Electronic address: mlumley@wayne.edu. 5. Department of Psychology, Chapman University, United States. Electronic address: gruenewa@chapman.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Recent evidence suggests that experiences of discrimination contribute to socioeconomic status health disparities. The current study examined if the experience and regulation of anger-an expected emotional response to discrimination-serves as an explanatory factor for the previously documented links between socioeconomic disadvantage (SED), discrimination, and allostatic load. METHODS: Data were drawn from the second wave of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study and included 909 adults who participated in the biomarkers subproject. RESULTS: Results revealed that perceived discrimination was associated with higher levels of allostatic load. Furthermore, we found evidence that perceived discrimination and anger control sequentially explained the relationship between SED and allostatic load, such that greater discrimination was associated with lower levels of anger control, which, in turn accounted for the effects of discrimination on allostatic load. These results remained significant after controlling for negative affect, positive affect, other forms of anger expression, as well as demographic covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that low anger control may be an important psychological pathway through which experiences of discrimination influence health.
OBJECTIVE: Recent evidence suggests that experiences of discrimination contribute to socioeconomic status health disparities. The current study examined if the experience and regulation of anger-an expected emotional response to discrimination-serves as an explanatory factor for the previously documented links between socioeconomic disadvantage (SED), discrimination, and allostatic load. METHODS: Data were drawn from the second wave of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study and included 909 adults who participated in the biomarkers subproject. RESULTS: Results revealed that perceived discrimination was associated with higher levels of allostatic load. Furthermore, we found evidence that perceived discrimination and anger control sequentially explained the relationship between SED and allostatic load, such that greater discrimination was associated with lower levels of anger control, which, in turn accounted for the effects of discrimination on allostatic load. These results remained significant after controlling for negative affect, positive affect, other forms of anger expression, as well as demographic covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that low anger control may be an important psychological pathway through which experiences of discrimination influence health.
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