Fortifying Physical and Psychological Wellbeing: Leveraging Capital for Resilience Against Racism and Adversity Across Racial Groups

This study examines the impact of various adversities—including racism, indirect adversity, loss of a loved one, and adverse police contact—on psychological and physical health outcomes such as sleep quality, depressive symptoms, serious illness, and self-reported health. Additionally, it investigates how economic, educational, social, and spiritual capital moderate these effects, with attention to racial differences. Leveraging a sample of 1139 participants from the 1995 Detroit Area Study, analyses reveal nuanced effects of adversity, with the impact being neutralized, attenuated, or amplified by coping capacities. Economic and educational supports generally provide protective health benefits, while social and religious supports reveal complex, sometimes divergent effects. Subgroup analyses reveal racial differences: for instance, Black individuals face a higher likelihood of developing a serious illness in connection with adverse police encounters, and White individuals benefit from liquid assets in buffering depressive symptoms. These findings underscore the need for multifaceted, context-sensitive health interventions and policies that enhance economic stability, educational opportunities, and mental health services, while strengthening social and spiritual support systems to build resilience and mitigate the adverse health effects of these adversities.