1 - (IOP 10) The Role of Physical Activity and Emotional Reactivity in the Link Between Racial Discrimination and Youth Mental Health

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In recent years, research has highlighted a clear association between racial discrimination and mental health (i.e., depression and suicidality) in young people. However, less is known about what potentially intervenable psychological or behavioral factors can modify the risk of developing depression and suicidality following experiences of racial discrimination. To bridge this gap, we sought to test how the relationship between racial discrimination and depression and suicidality in adolescence is modified by physical activity and emotional reactivity. We leveraged cross-sectional and prospective data from a unique school-wide survey administered to 6th to 12th grade students from 60 schools across Massachusetts. In particular, this study focused on a subset of students who self-identified as a person of color (e.g., Haitian, Black or African American, Asian, Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, Middle Eastern/North African, or White Hispanic) and reported on lifetime racial discrimination and symptoms of depression or suicidality (N = 4,796). Suicidality includes suicidal thoughts, attempts, and self-harm and was treated as a binary outcome indicating the presence of any. Linear and logistic mixed-effects regression models with school as a random effect, adjusted for age, sex, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity, were used to test the relationship between racial discrimination and depression and suicidality, respectively. We conducted moderation analyses to examine whether physical activity and emotional reactivity influence the relationship between racial discrimination and adolescent mental health outcomes. Among students, experiencing discrimination was strongly associated with higher depression scores (β = 0.24, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001). Physical activity, but not emotional reactivity, significantly moderated this association (β = -0.02, SE = 0.01, p < 0.01). More days of physical activity decreased the negative impact of discrimination on depression. Experiencing discrimination was also strongly associated with increased suicidality (OR = 1.57, 95% CI [1.46, 1.68], p < 0.001). Emotional reactivity, but not physical activity, moderated this relationship (OR = 0.99, 95% CI [0.99, 1.00], p < 0.01), suggesting that higher emotional reactivity weakens the association between discrimination and suicidality. The SURF study uses a longitudinal methodology, allowing students to be anonymously linked across different timepoints where possible. In prospective analyses (N = 549), we are examining how discrimination and modifiable factors are associated with outcomes (i.e., depression or suicidality) measured in the following year. Our research highlights associations between racial discrimination and adolescent mental health outcomes among middle and high school students of color and the potential moderating roles of physical activity for depression, and emotional reactivity for suicidal ideation. Findings will enhance our understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to discrimination-related mental health outcomes and inform interventions aimed at mitigating these effects in vulnerable young populations.