Attributing Inequality and Amplifying Distress: Attributional Style As a Moderator of the Racism–Psychological Distress Link Among Black and Hispanic Emerging Adults

Background: Racism is a structural determinant of mental health inequities among Black and Hispanic emerging adults ages 18-29 in the United States. While extensive evidence links everyday discrimination to psychological distress, far less is known about the cognitive processes that shape variability in this relationship. Guided by Attribution Theory, this study examines whether internal (self-blame) and external (structural) attributional styles moderate the association between everyday discrimination and psychological distress, and whether these effects differ across ethnic groups during the critical developmental period of emerging adulthood.

Methods: Data were drawn from a national non-probability sample of 936 Black (n = 450) and Hispanic (n = 486) emerging adults recruited using quota sampling aligned with U.S. Census benchmarks. Participants completed the Everyday Discrimination Scale, the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and attributional style measures assessing explanations for racial inequality. Linear regression models tested main and interaction effects, adjusting for age, gender, employment, income, and ethnicity. Moderation was evaluated using likelihood ratio tests and standardized coefficients, with stratified analyses by ethnicity and robustness checks across alternative model specifications.

Results: Everyday discrimination was a strong and consistent predictor of psychological distress across groups (β range = .26–.43), explaining 17–20% of variance. In the overall sample, attributional style did not significantly moderate the discrimination–distress association. However, significant moderation emerged among Hispanic participants: both internal (β = .085, p < .05) and external (β = .093, p < .05) attributions amplified the association between discrimination and distress, though effect sizes were small (ΔR² = .008–.011). No moderation effects were observed among Black participants despite higher average discrimination exposure.

Conclusions and Implications: These findings demonstrate that racism-based experiences are consistently associated with psychological distress, yet the cognitive processes that shape this relationship operate differently across ethnic groups. Among Hispanic emerging adults, both internal and external attributional styles intensified the association between discrimination and distress, whereas no moderating effects were observed among Black participants. These results underscore the importance of examining group-specific psychological mechanisms rather than assuming uniform responses to structural racism.

Social work research at the service of democracy requires rigorous attention to how structural inequities are psychologically processed across communities. Mental health disparities rooted in racism represent not only individual burdens but indicators of broader inequities embedded in social systems. By identifying attributional style as a conditional factor in the racism–distress link, this study contributes to more precise, culturally responsive assessment and intervention strategies.

For practice, clinicians should recognize that how emerging adults interpret racism-based experiences may shape emotional vulnerability, particularly among Hispanic emerging adults. For research and policy, findings highlight the need for continued investigation into the cognitive and contextual mechanisms through which structural racism contributes to mental health inequities. Advancing equitable mental health outcomes is central to strengthening the social conditions necessary for inclusive participation in public life.