Beyond the Individual: Understanding Ethnic Identity, Discrimination and Mental Health
Understanding the complexities of belonging to an ethnic minority is essential when considering mental well-being. For individuals building a life away from their country of origin or the place they culturally identify as home, experiences of belonging, identity, and acceptance can be profoundly shaped by the social environment they encounter. As a therapist, I believe it is crucial to recognise how these external realities interact with an individual’s internal world, rather than viewing psychological difficulties in isolation from the circumstances in which they emerge.
My Master’s research
During my MSc in Clinical Psychology at Leiden University, I conducted a research study titled “What Makes Life Livable? Ethnic Discrimination as a Social Determinant of Suicidal Ideation Among University Students in the Netherlands.”
The study combined questionnaire data from 186 students with four qualitative interviews. It examined experiences of ethnic discrimination, feelings of belonging and perceived burdensomeness, and suicidal ideation.
What the study found
Within this sample, higher reported ethnic discrimination was associated with higher suicidal ideation. Participants from Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) backgrounds reported the highest average discrimination scores, although the minority groups were small and did not support reliable comparisons between all individual ethnic groups.
The interviews explored experiences of loneliness, lower personal and collective self-esteem, and changes in how participants viewed themselves and the world. Social support, affirmation of cultural identity and a sense that help was available emerged as potentially protective factors.
These findings concern a particular sample and show associations rather than proving that discrimination caused suicidal ideation. The study had limited generalisability: the sample was predominantly White and female, the minority groups were small, and all four interview participants were female.
How this informs my therapeutic work
This research continues to inform my therapeutic work, particularly with expatriates, international clients, and individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds. I believe that therapists must take the time to understand the cultural values and norms that shape each client’s experiences, relationships, and sense of self. For example, the importance of collectivistic values in some MENA cultural contexts may influence how individuals understand family obligations, interpersonal relationships, and their own needs. In my work, I aim to explore these cultural influences with each client rather than imposing assumptions based on their background. This allows me to consider how cultural expectations and social realities interact with the individual’s developmental history and internal psychological patterns. Ultimately, I believe therapy should not focus solely on helping individuals adapt to their environment, but should also create space to understand how that environment contributes to their psychological experiences.