Sense of Belonging, Racial Microaggressions, and Depressive Symptoms among Students of Asian Descent in the United States

This study explored the moderating role of sense of belonging on the relations between racial microaggressions and depressive symptoms. Using survey data from students of Asian descent in the United States (N = 553) at a predominantly White university, we found that racial microaggressions and sense of belonging significantly predicted depressive symptoms. In addition, sense of belonging moderated the relations between racial microaggressions and depressive symptoms. Specifically, having a higher level of sense of belonging had a counter effect against the detrimental impact of racial microaggressions on the depressive symptoms. Implications for research and practice in higher education are discussed.