This study examined intersecting marginalized identities (based on race/ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation), type-specific and multiple perceived discrimination (PD) prevalence, and associations with depressive symptoms and cannabis use among young adults. Data were from 3,888 U.S. respondents aged 19-30 in the Monitoring the Future (MTF) Panel study collected in 2021-2024. We estimated 12-month type-specific PD (gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation) prevalence, and multiple discrimination (2+ PD types) prevalence. We estimated associations between intersecting marginalized identities (2+ marginalized identities), multiple discrimination, depressive symptoms, and 30-day cannabis use, controlling for education and employment status, age, and year. In descending order, 44.5% of young adults reported perceived gender discrimination; 37.0% racial/ethnic discrimination; and 19.6% sexual orientation discrimination; 32.9% reported multiple discrimination. Overall, 40.2% respondents reported a single marginalized identity; 35.6% reported intersecting marginalized identities. Those with intersecting marginalized identities were more likely to report multiple discrimination. Intersecting marginalized identities and multiple discrimination were associated with higher depressive symptoms; multiple discrimination (but not intersecting marginalized identities) was associated with higher odds of 30-day cannabis use before and after controlling for depressive symptoms. Multiple discrimination and 30-day cannabis use associations were stronger among those identifying as non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic Asian American or Pacific Islander versus non-Hispanic White. Young adults with intersecting marginalized identities were more likely to report multiple discrimination, which was a risk factor for depressive symptoms and cannabis use. Understanding how multiple discrimination relates to depressive symptoms and cannabis use behaviors may strengthen prevention and intervention efforts.
Pang et al. (Fri,) studied this question.