Racial Microaggressions and Psychological Distress Among Undergraduate College Students of Color: Implications for Social Work Practice

This study examines the relationship between racial microaggressions and psychological distress among undergraduate students of color and seeks to inform social work practice with that population. Participants in this study (n = 216) were from a medium-sized research university which is a predominantly White institution (PWI) in the Northeast region of the United States. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between racial microaggressions and psychological distress. The findings indicated a positive relationship, particularly for those students that lived off campus. Among other implications, findings demonstrate the need to further explore social and environmental factors in off-campus residential communities compared to on-campus residential communities.