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A Moderated Mediation Analysis on the Association Between Perceived Discrimination and Physical Symptoms Among Immigrant Women from Mainland China into Hong Kong: Evidence from the FAMILY Cohort

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Abstract

With a research focus on the possible impact of perceived discrimination on physical symptoms, this study examined a moderated mediation model that depressive symptoms would mediate the association between perceived discrimination and physical symptoms, and family satisfaction would show moderating effects on both depressive and physical symptoms among immigrants. Immigrant women from Mainland China into Hong Kong (N = 966) completed a cross-sectional survey. Depressive symptoms mediated the association between perceived discrimination and physical symptoms. Family satisfaction moderated the association between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms that participants with lower family satisfaction showed a stronger association. However, family satisfaction did not moderate with perceived discrimination or depressive symptoms to predict physical symptoms. Our findings demonstrated the health consequences of perceived discrimination. Development of resilience programs, particularly with a focus of strengthening family resources, may in tandem help immigrants manage their experiences with discrimination.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the sole funder of the FAMILY Project from 2007 to 2014.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China

    Nancy Xiaonan Yu

  2. School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 21 Sassoon Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China

    Nancy Xiaonan Yu & Michael Y. Ni

  3. The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China

    Michael Y. Ni

  4. Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA

    Sunita M. Stewart

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  1. Nancy Xiaonan Yu
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Correspondence to Michael Y. Ni.

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Yu, N.X., Ni, M.Y. & Stewart, S.M. A Moderated Mediation Analysis on the Association Between Perceived Discrimination and Physical Symptoms Among Immigrant Women from Mainland China into Hong Kong: Evidence from the FAMILY Cohort. J Immigrant Minority Health 23, 597–605 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-020-01042-1

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