Online Archive of University of Virginia Scholarship
High-effort Coping in the Context of Discrimination: Connections to Subsequent Cardiometabolic Risk via Vigilance3 views
Author
Atkinson-Barnes, Margaret, Psychology - Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia
Advisors
Hurd, Noelle, AS-Psychology (PSYC), University of Virginia
Abstract
The current study investigated whether underrepresented college students who engaged in higher amounts of high-effort coping in the context of discrimination were more likely to experience increased cardiometabolic risk in young adulthood via greater marginalization-related vigilance. The study included 340 participants (69% female) who identified as members of historically underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, were economically disadvantaged, and/or were first generation college students. Participants enrolled in the study during their first year of college at an elite, public predominantly White institution (PWI). Data were gathered across their four years of college (Spring 2014-2017) and again six years later as they entered young adulthood (Spring 2023). We conducted a moderated mediation analysis to test whether the indirect effect of discrimination on cardiometabolic risk via marginalization-related vigilance varied as a function of high-effort coping. We found that the interaction between discrimination and high-effort coping was significantly associated with marginalization-related vigilance, and marginalization-related vigilance was significantly associated with cardiometabolic risk. High-effort coping was a significant moderator of the indirect effect of discrimination on cardiometabolic risk through marginalization-related vigilance.
Degree
MA (Master of Arts)
Keywords
discrimination; vigilance; minority stress; cardiometabolic health
Language
English
Rights
All rights reserved by the author (no additional license for public reuse)
Atkinson-Barnes, Margaret. High-effort Coping in the Context of Discrimination: Connections to Subsequent Cardiometabolic Risk via Vigilance. University of Virginia, Psychology - Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, MA (Master of Arts), 2026-03-18, https://doi.org/10.18130/7a00-z573.