Sociology Professor Amy Shasanmi and her colleague Professor Christy Irving (Vanderbilt University) recently published findings from a study investigating whether individuals in interracial relationships experience greater risk for past-year mood and anxiety disorder compared with their same-race relationship counterparts. Results show that individuals in interracial relationships are at greater risk for anxiety disorder (but not mood disorder) relative to those in same-race relationships. Interracially partnered individuals also report more discrimination from the public and greater negative interactions with family. External stressors partially explain the higher risk for anxiety disorder among individuals in interracial partnerships. This important study addresses a void in the literature on discrimination, family relationships, and health for the growing population of individuals in interracial unions. Click here to read the full article in the Journal Socius.
