Interpersonal ethnic-racial discrimination and tobacco products: The moderating role of critical action.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to understand the role of critical action, sociopolitical participation, an essential form of consciousness in the relationship between interpersonal discrimination and the use of tobacco products.

METHOD: The present study was part of a more extensive longitudinal study on students' genetic and environmental experiences. To examine these associations, 164 racially minoritized college students (Mage = 19.86, SD = 0.28) were surveyed for this study.

RESULTS

Findings indicated that the relation between interpersonal ethnic-racial discrimination (IERD) and tobacco products was moderated by critical action. Specifically, IERD was associated with greater use of tobacco products when students had low critical consciousness-critical action. The relation between IERD and the use of tobacco products became nonsignificant when students had high critical action.

CONCLUSIONS

Critical action was protective in mitigating increased tobacco use in the context of discrimination experiences. Research, clinical, and policy implications are discussed in efforts to reduce tobacco-related disparities among racially minoritized college students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).