Processes Underlying Black American Emerging Adults’ Mental Health: Examining the Roles of Mental Health Literacy,Ethnic-Racial Identity,and Self-Care

The present study examined whether mental health literacy (MHL) informed self-care and, in turn, mental health among Black emerging adults. Various components of ethnic-racial identity (ERI), including exploration, resolution, affirmation, and centrality, were tested as moderators of the associations between MHL and self-care. Participants were 166 Black American emerging adults (Mage = 19.48, SD = .74). Findings indicated that among individuals with high ERI resolution, MHL significantly predicted greater self-care, and, in turn, less anxiety and depressive symptoms. Among individuals with low ERI resolution, MHL significantly predicted less self-care, and lower self-care, in turn, predicted greater anxiety and depressive symptoms. Additionally, ERI exploration and resolution were associated with more self-care and, in turn, less anxiety and depressive symptoms. Directly, ERI affirmation predicted less anxiety and depressive symptoms and ERI exploration predicted greater depressive symptoms. Findings highlight that MHL, self-care, and ERI are important predictors of Black American emerging adults’ mental health.