Media Use During COVID-19: An Investigation of Negative Effects on the Mental Health of Asian Versus White Americans
Date
2021-04-28Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
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.