The Associations among Discrimination, Grit, Self-esteem and Chronic Stress among College Students

Alexandra Ehrhardt, Fordham University

Abstract

Prior studies have linked racial discrimination to increased stress response. However, the use of hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) as an indicator of stress response related to racial discrimination is limited as many studies have exclusively used salivary cortisol. Using a biopsychosocial model, this study considered grit and self-esteem as moderators of the association between college students’ self-reported racial discrimination and HCC levels. Self-reported data and hair samples from a sample of 88 college students attending a northeastern, private university were used. Three regression models were used to investigate whether grit, self-esteem, and the interaction of grit and self-esteem modified the association between racial discrimination and HCC. No significant relationships emerged. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Subject Area

Developmental psychology|Clinical psychology

Recommended Citation

Ehrhardt, Alexandra, "The Associations among Discrimination, Grit, Self-esteem and Chronic Stress among College Students" (2019). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI13424409.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI13424409

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