COVID-19 Discrimination and Social Anxiety in Burmese Refugees: The Role of Acculturation and Peer Social Support

Abstract

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, discrimination against Asian refugees surged. Discrimination is associated with higher social anxiety, which may be mediated by acculturation, yet the negative effects could be buffered by social support. This study examined whether COVID-19 anti-Asian discrimination would predict greater social anxiety in Burmese refugees through acculturation and whether social support moderated these effects. A moderated mediation analysis found that marginalization mediated the relationship between COVID-19 discrimination and social anxiety. Peer social support moderated the relationship between discrimination and social anxiety. These results add to the growing literature on the negative psychological effects of COVID-19 on Asian refugees.