Exploring the Mechanisms of Discrimination Affecting Mental Health Among Young Adults in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods

Abstract

This study investigates how discrimination affects the mental health of young adults (aged 12–25) living in disadvantaged neighborhoods in the Netherlands and how neighborhood dynamics influence mental health outcomes for these young adults. The research aims to understand how various stakeholders—young adults, parents, and professionals—perceive and articulate the discrimination experienced by young adults in these neighborhoods and the mechanisms through which discrimination occurs and leads to mental health issues. This investigation focuses on two disadvantaged neighborhoods: Kanaleneiland in Utrecht and Liendert in Amersfoort. The primary research question is, “Through which mechanisms does discrimination affect the mental health of young adults living in two disadvantaged neighborhoods in the Netherlands, according to the perspectives of different stakeholders?” The study draws insights from multiple young adults and parents residing in these neighborhoods, as well as from professionals who work with them.

These stakeholders participated in several focus groups and group model building sessions. During these sessions, they collectively discussed the interplay between experiences of discrimination and mental health outcomes for young adults in Kanaleneiland and Liendert, as well as the mechanisms occurring in the neighborhood. These methods facilitated data collection, as stakeholders discussed the mechanisms and discrimination experiences. The sensitizing concepts—“mental health,” “discrimination,” and “mechanisms”—were derived from focus group analyses.

The findings indicate that stakeholders recognize several discrimination experiences, including prejudices, negative stereotyping, and ethnic profiling. The main mechanism discussed was social exclusion. According to stakeholders, young adults with minority statuses or ethnic backgrounds face discrimination from the police, other residents, and peers in public places within the same neighborhood. Contrary to some theoretical perspectives, this study confirms that mechanisms such as social exclusion lead to discrimination experiences, which in turn significantly affect the mental health of young adults in disadvantaged neighborhoods.