2020 INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Showcase

Presentation Type

Open Access Poster Presentation

Keywords

Race discrimination--Psychological aspects; Sleep--Psychological aspects; Health behavior--Middle West; College students--Middle West--Health and hygiene;

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating role of both race and health habits (i.e., smoking illegal substances, vaping or smoking tobacco and nicotine, or drinking alcohol) in the links between perceived racial discrimination with sleep as well as anxiety. This current study used a sample of 173 participants from a midwestern university who were undergraduate students in the fall semester of 2019 and in the spring semester of 2020. All participants self-reported their own demographic background, sleep habits, anxiety levels, perceived racial discrimination experiences, and health habit experiences through an online questionnaire. While there was not a strong support for a race as a moderator of discrimination and sleep and discrimination and anxiety links, health habits played a moderating role in the links between discrimination and sleep. Consequently, we only present the latter findings. The findings demonstrate a significant moderating role of health habits links such as alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use in the links between perceived racial discrimination and sleep disturbances.

Start Date

17-4-2020 12:00 PM

End Date

17-4-2020 4:00 PM

Faculty Advisor

Dilbur D. Arsiwalla

Department

Department of Psychology

Student Type

Undergraduate Student

File Format

application/pdf

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Apr 17th, 12:00 PM Apr 17th, 4:00 PM

Perceived Racial Discrimination and Sleep Patterns: The Moderating Role of Race and Health Habits

The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating role of both race and health habits (i.e., smoking illegal substances, vaping or smoking tobacco and nicotine, or drinking alcohol) in the links between perceived racial discrimination with sleep as well as anxiety. This current study used a sample of 173 participants from a midwestern university who were undergraduate students in the fall semester of 2019 and in the spring semester of 2020. All participants self-reported their own demographic background, sleep habits, anxiety levels, perceived racial discrimination experiences, and health habit experiences through an online questionnaire. While there was not a strong support for a race as a moderator of discrimination and sleep and discrimination and anxiety links, health habits played a moderating role in the links between discrimination and sleep. Consequently, we only present the latter findings. The findings demonstrate a significant moderating role of health habits links such as alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use in the links between perceived racial discrimination and sleep disturbances.