Advisor(s)
Sylvie Mrug
Committee Member(s)
Aaron Fobian
Jarred Younger
Myles Moody
Olivio Clay
School
College of Arts and Sciences
Document Type
Dissertation
Department (new version)
Psychology
Date of Award
9-11-2025
Abstract
Discrimination and other psychosocial stressors contribute to chronic disease by dysregulating neuroendocrine and immune systems, which often leads to increased levels of inflammation. Given that inflammation is a key biological pathway associated with the development of chronic diseases, it has been proposed as a potential mechanism linking racial discrimination to poorer health. Most studies linking racial discrimination with inflammation have focused on adults, despite the fact that children and adolescents also experience discrimination. This dissertation explores the association between racial discrimination and inflammation, measured via salivary C-reactive protein (CRP) and proinflammatory cytokines, among Black and Hispanic adolescents. It also examines factors that may moderate this relationship. Paper 1 examined potential sex differences in the frequency of self-reported discrimination and its relationship with inflammation. Results indicated that males and females reported similar levels of past-year discrimination, and that sex did not moderate the relationship between racial discrimination and inflammation. Paper 2 tested whether ethnic/racial identity (ERI; i.e., affirmation, exploration, resolution) and ethnic/racial socialization (ERS; i.e., cultural socialization, preparation for bias) moderated the relationship between racial discrimination and inflammation. Findings revealed that racial discrimination was associated with lower CRP and cytokine levels at high ERS cultural socialization. Discrimination was also associated with lower cytokine levels at high ERS preparation for bias, as well as high cytokine levels at low ERS preparation for bias. Additionally, results revealed that discrimination was associated with elevated cytokine levels at low ERI resolution. Paper 3 employed multilevel modeling to test whether adolescents’ experiences of daily discrimination predicted same-day or next-day levels of inflammation. Results revealed that daily discrimination predicted same-day decreases in CRP but was not a predictor of same-day cytokine levels. Additionally, daily discrimination did not predict next-day levels of CRP or cytokines. Together, these studies contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how racial discrimination shapes adolescent health and offer important direction for future research and interventions aimed at promoting resilience and well-being among racial/ethnic minority youth.
ProQuest ID
Recommended Citation
Crichlow, Queenisha, "Racial Discrimination And Inflammation In Adolescence: Ethnic/Racial Processes As Moderators" (2025). All ETDs from UAB. 7344.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/7344
