Associations between perceived discrimination and life satisfaction: An ecological momentary assessment pilot study of adolescents

Perceived discrimination is an important predictor of life satisfaction in ethnic minority groups (Villegas-Gold & Hyung Chol Yoo, 2014). Discriminatory practices are related to lower levels of subjective well-being and greater anxiety (Clark, Anderson, Clark, & Williams, 1999). The present study aims to extend these findings by assessing the affective consequences of perceived discrimination with the use of experience sampling methodology. We are interested in within person changes in subjective well-being that occur as a result of perceived discrimination.
International high-school students (N = 30) attending at European school of Luxembourg were recruited to participate in an e-diary study for a period of 10 days. Participants were first and second generation immigrants (Mage = 14.63, SD = .62) from different European and non-European countries, growing up in multicultural Luxembourg. Perceptions of discrimination by peers and teachers were assessed with a self-report questionnaire daily after school. Our measures captured different experiences of discrimination including discrimination based on gender, social status, ethnic origin, and physical appearance. Each evening, participants completed the Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scales (BMSLSS), which assesses satisfaction with life in general and satisfaction in five domains that are considered important for adolescents: self, family, friends, living environment, and school context.
The findings suggest that experiences of discrimination were associated with lower levels of subjective well-being. Participants were less satisfied with themselves, their relationships, and their school environment during the days they reported higher levels of discrimination experiences.
With this pilot study using ecological momentary assessment, we develop a more dynamic understanding of the within-person variability of different facets of well-being among first and second generation adolescent immigrants and their discrimination experiences in different domains.