The Relationships Between Race-Related Stress, Racial Identity, and Mental Health for Black Americans

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between race-related stress, racial identity, and mental health in a sample of 255 Black American adults. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that racial identity and race-related stress predicted mental health; however, racial identity accounted for more of the variance in mental health. These findings provide evidence that a person’s racial identity must be considered when understanding race-related stress and mental health. Implications for practice and research are discussed.