Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
The aim of this study was to test whether interracial stress and psychological distress mediate the relationship between ethnic microaggression and integration through 506 Syrian students (Mage = 22.05) enrolled in universities in Türkiye. Data were appropriately obtained using a cross-sectional design. PROCESS macro analyses were conducted, including measures of ethnic microaggression, interracial stress, psychological distress, and integration. The results indicated that interracial stress, but not psychological distress, mediated the relationship between ethnic microaggression and integration. Moreover, interracial stress and psychological distress were found to have a serial mediating effect on the relationship between ethnic microaggression and integration. These results showed that researchers can contribute to the literature on racial minority groups by investigating the psychosocial dynamics that may be effective in ethnic microaggression -induced integration processes. As a clinical implication, counselors working in university counseling centers can suggest protective and awareness-raising ways by using the basic dynamics of the negative effects of ethnic microaggression on integration that Syrian students may face.