(PS6-92) A Preliminary Exploration of the Moderating Role of Resistance and Empowerment Against Racism (REAR) on the Association Between Online Racism and Well-being

Abstract Text: In today’s digital age, exposure to racism online is increasingly pervasive. Yet, research on the mental health impacts of online racism on people of color is limited. Online racism consists of personal experiences of racial cyber-aggression, vicariously witnessing racial cyber-aggression enacted against others, and consuming online content that reveals the realities of systemic racism (Keum, 2021). Online racism has been associated with negative mental health outcomes both within specific (Cavalhieri et al., 2024; Keum & Choi, 2023; Portillo et al., 2022) and across racial groups (Keum, 2023). Resistance against racism is theorized to buffer the impact of racism on mental health outcomes (Harrell, 2000; Suyemoto et al., 2022). Resistance and empowerment against racism (REAR) is defined as a proactive coping strategy aiming to address the impacts of systemic racism, challenge injustice, and engage in collective action (Suyemoto et al., 2022). The present study aims to examine whether resistance and empowerment against racism moderate the association between experiences of online racism and well-being.
As part of a larger ongoing study at an urban and racially diverse university, 118 students who self-identified as “people of color” completed an online survey. The sample included a diverse range of racial identities, including participants who identify as Black, Latiné, Asian, Southwest Asian/North African, Native American/Alaskan Native/Indigenous, Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian, and multiracial. Measures included the Perceived Online Racism Scale Short Form (PORS-SF; Keum, 2021), the emotional and psychological well-being subscales of the Mental Health Continuum - Short Form (MHC-SF; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), and the Resistance and Empowerment Against Racism (REAR; Suyemoto et al., 2022) scale and subscales (awareness and relational resistance, participation in resistance activities and organizations, interpersonal confrontation, and leadership for resistance). Data collection for the present study is currently ongoing.
To explore whether resistance and empowerment against racism moderate the relation between online racism and well-being, hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted. For each regression analysis, two centered variables were included in the first step (Model 1): REAR total and subscale scores and PORS-SF total scores. Online racism and the REAR interpersonal confrontation subscale each accounted for a significant amount of variance in well-being (R²s from .055-.138, ps <.05). Next, the interaction terms between REAR total and subscale scores and online racism were added to the regression model (Model 2). Preliminary results revealed no significant moderating effects. However, the moderating effects of the REAR participation in resistance activities and organizations and leadership for resistance subscales on the association between online racism and well-being were significant at p<.07 and may be significant with a larger sample. Analyses will be re-run after completion of data collection (estimated N = 300). Findings will be discussed in terms of implications for well-being in the face of racism and directions for future research.