The Psychological Impact of Ethnic Discrimination on Students A Study of Anxiety and Self-esteem

Abstract

On the mainland of Pakistan, students face prejudice, stereotyping, discrimination and marginalization. The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of prejudice on students' mental health, namely their self-esteem and anxiety, while they are enrolled in the Humanities and Social Sciences Department at Bahria University Islamabad. This study employed a descriptive research design. A survey-based technique was adopted. All students enrolled at Bahria University Islamabad were the intended subjects of this research. A suitable sampling procedure was used to choose pupils from different backgrounds (the control group). The following analyses were conducted: correlations between discrimination, anxiety, self-esteem, and descriptive statistics; validity and reliability of the questionnaire and examination of the participants' socio-demographic factors. Perceived ethnic discrimination, self-esteem, state self-esteem, and anxiety were shown to be significantly correlated with one another, according to Pearson's correlational coefficients. Ethnic prejudice is associated with lower levels of selfesteem and anxiety, according to one study. To lessen the prevalence of ethnic prejudice, it is suggested that educational institutions and governments engage in sufficient public policymaking. Furthermore, future researchers are expected to address the research gaps that have been discovered in this study. The mediating factors that link discrimination to its effects on anxiety and self-esteem may be better understood in future studies. Also, future studies might examine how members' sense of belonging to a discriminated-against ethnic group influences their anxiety and self-esteem.