Coping Strategies as Moderators of COVID-19 Racial Discrimination in Filipino Americans

What is the public significance of this article? Greater use of overall coping reduced the negative impact of COVID-19-related racial discrimination on life satisfaction among Filipino Americans. Filipino Americans may use engagement and disengagement coping strategies to mitigate the effects of anxiety and depression-related symptoms, respectively, which may be influenced by cultural, Indigenous, and religious factors. The present study examined the extent to which coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) racial discrimination related to life satisfaction, depression, and anxiety in 246 Filipino Americans. The extent to which coping strategy moderated the mediated relationship of COVID-19 racial discrimination via depression and anxiety on life satisfaction was also explored. Findings indicated that Filipino Americans who experienced or witnessed COVID-19 racial discrimination were significantly more likely to experience decreased levels of life satisfaction and increased levels of depression and anxiety. Higher levels of discrimination were significantly related to higher levels of depression which were linked to poorer life satisfaction. Coping strategy moderated the mediated relationship of COVID-19 racial discrimination via depression with life satisfaction. Engagement and disengagement coping responses significantly moderated the link between COVID-19 discrimination with anxiety and depression, respectively. Implications for mental health professionals, study limitations, and future areas of research are additionally provided.