Media Use During COVID-19: An Investigation of Negative Effects on the Mental Health of Asian Versus White Americans
The role of media use on mental health distress is particularly concerning during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The vulnerabilities to and experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States are greatly influenced by racial/ethnic inequalities. The COVID-19 pandemic may present unique mental h...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Communication |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2021.638031/full |
| _version_ | 1823941468447834112 |
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| author | Jessie M. Quintero Johnson Muniba Saleem Lu Tang Srividya Ramasubramanian Emily Riewestahl |
| author_facet | Jessie M. Quintero Johnson Muniba Saleem Lu Tang Srividya Ramasubramanian Emily Riewestahl |
| author_sort | Jessie M. Quintero Johnson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The role of media use on mental health distress is particularly concerning during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The vulnerabilities to and experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States are greatly influenced by racial/ethnic inequalities. The COVID-19 pandemic may present unique mental health challenges for Asian Americans because of racial targeting and limited access to and engagement with mental health care. This present investigation examines whether the association between media use and mental health distress is more pronounced for Asian Americans for whom media messages that document and promote anti-Asian racism are likely to be especially salient and influential. Using a national survey of Asian (n = 524) and White (n = 527) American participants, our findings reveal that racial/ethnic identity interacted with the negative effect of media use on mental health for Asian Americans, but not for White Americans. We also explored whether the effect of media use on mental health was mediated by social and health risk perceptions. Results revealed that even though imagined stigma was associated with mental health distress, it did not mediate the effect of media use on mental health. Health risk perceptions mediated the negative effect of media use on both psychosocial distress and loneliness. Implications for health communication, media studies, and anti-Asian racism are discussed, especially in the context of health crises. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T04:27:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-74fb0bf9d1164fc1b8069443d1f5116a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-900X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T04:27:42Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Communication |
| spelling | doaj.art-74fb0bf9d1164fc1b8069443d1f5116a2022-12-21T22:03:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Communication2297-900X2021-04-01610.3389/fcomm.2021.638031638031Media Use During COVID-19: An Investigation of Negative Effects on the Mental Health of Asian Versus White AmericansJessie M. Quintero Johnson0Muniba Saleem1Lu Tang2Srividya Ramasubramanian3Emily Riewestahl4Communication Department, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United StatesDepartment of Communication, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United StatesCommunication Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United StatesCommunication Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United StatesCommunication Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United StatesThe role of media use on mental health distress is particularly concerning during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The vulnerabilities to and experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States are greatly influenced by racial/ethnic inequalities. The COVID-19 pandemic may present unique mental health challenges for Asian Americans because of racial targeting and limited access to and engagement with mental health care. This present investigation examines whether the association between media use and mental health distress is more pronounced for Asian Americans for whom media messages that document and promote anti-Asian racism are likely to be especially salient and influential. Using a national survey of Asian (n = 524) and White (n = 527) American participants, our findings reveal that racial/ethnic identity interacted with the negative effect of media use on mental health for Asian Americans, but not for White Americans. We also explored whether the effect of media use on mental health was mediated by social and health risk perceptions. Results revealed that even though imagined stigma was associated with mental health distress, it did not mediate the effect of media use on mental health. Health risk perceptions mediated the negative effect of media use on both psychosocial distress and loneliness. Implications for health communication, media studies, and anti-Asian racism are discussed, especially in the context of health crises.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2021.638031/fullmental healthAsian Americansmedia usestigmarisk perceptions |
| spellingShingle | Jessie M. Quintero Johnson Muniba Saleem Lu Tang Srividya Ramasubramanian Emily Riewestahl Media Use During COVID-19: An Investigation of Negative Effects on the Mental Health of Asian Versus White Americans Frontiers in Communication mental health Asian Americans media use stigma risk perceptions |
| title | Media Use During COVID-19: An Investigation of Negative Effects on the Mental Health of Asian Versus White Americans |
| title_full | Media Use During COVID-19: An Investigation of Negative Effects on the Mental Health of Asian Versus White Americans |
| title_fullStr | Media Use During COVID-19: An Investigation of Negative Effects on the Mental Health of Asian Versus White Americans |
| title_full_unstemmed | Media Use During COVID-19: An Investigation of Negative Effects on the Mental Health of Asian Versus White Americans |
| title_short | Media Use During COVID-19: An Investigation of Negative Effects on the Mental Health of Asian Versus White Americans |
| title_sort | media use during covid 19 an investigation of negative effects on the mental health of asian versus white americans |
| topic | mental health Asian Americans media use stigma risk perceptions |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomm.2021.638031/full |
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