The Buffering Effects of Emotion Regulation in the Relationship Between Experiences of Racism and Anxiety in a Black American Sample

The current study explores the potential moderating effect of difficulties in emotion regulation on the relationship between racist experiences and anxiety symptomology in a Black American sample. One hundred forty participants completed a questionnaire packet containing measures of anxious arousal and stress (general anxiety) symptoms, difficulties in emotion regulation, and experiences of racist events. Results indicated that difficulties in emotion regulation moderated the relationship between past week frequency of racist events and anxious arousal as well as past year frequency of racist events and anxious arousal. Specifically, these relationships were significantly positive at high levels of difficulties in emotion regulation and not significant at low levels of difficulties in emotion regulation. Emotion regulation skills may help Black Americans cope with anxious arousal related to racist experiences. The clinical implications of these findings and future research directions are discussed.