A comprehensive meta-study conducted by researchers at the University of Mannheim has provided conclusive evidence of the detrimental effects of discrimination on mental health. Published in the Psychological Bulletin, the study by Christine Emmer, Julia Dorn, and Professor Dr. Jutta Mata offers insights into the direct and indirect impacts of discrimination.
Drawing on 73 experimental studies with over 12,000 participants, the research establishes that discrimination significantly impairs mental health. The most pronounced effects were observed in emotional responses such as rage and hostility, particularly when individuals recalled or witnessed discriminatory events. This meta-study represents a synthesis of diverse research, presenting a comprehensive overview of discrimination’s effect on mental well-being.
Contrary to expectations, the study found that the most significant impact occurred when individuals remembered or observed discrimination, rather than experiencing it directly in a controlled laboratory setting. The study indicates that discriminatory experiences not only leave a lasting imprint on memory but also have enduring consequences for individuals’ overall well-being.
Discrimination, defined as the unfair treatment of individuals based on their perceived or actual membership in social groups, was found to have a substantial negative impact on mental health. Sexism towards women and racism towards ethnic minorities emerged as prominent contributors to mental health impairment. In contrast, discrimination against individuals less frequently marginalized in everyday life, experienced primarily in isolated laboratory cases, showed no measurable effect on mental health. Examples include sexism towards men or racism towards privileged ethnic majorities.
The study identified discrimination based on sexual orientation as having the most pronounced direct negative impact on mental health. However, the researchers note a lack of sufficient studies for a systematic analysis of other forms of discrimination, such as those related to religion or disability, emphasizing the need for further research in these areas. Professor Jutta Mata emphasizes, “There is simply still a lot of research to be done here.”
