Ethno-racial disparities in psychosis-like experiences among students in higher education: Findings from the Healthy Minds Study 2020–2021

Background: Ethno-racial variations of psychosis-like experiences exist in the general population; however, it is unknown whether this variation exists among emerging adults in higher education, and whether there are differences across ethnic groups within racial categories. Methods: Using the Health Minds Study data from 2020 to 2021, we used multivariable logistic regression models to examine race/ethnicity and psychosis-like experiences, adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, international student status). We then adjusted for food insecurity, parental education, and social belonging. Results: Black, Hispanic/Latinx, multiracial, and American Indian/Alaska Native students had greater odds of 12-month psychosis-like experiences when compared with White students. These associations attenuated and were no longer statistically significant for Black and Hispanic/Latinx students after adjusting for food insecurity and parental education. Multiracial and American Indian/Alaska Native students still had greater odds of psychosis-like experiences after further adjusting for sense of belonging. When looking at ethnic subgroups, Filipinx and multi-ethnic Asian students had significantly greater odds than East Asian students, and multi-ethnic Black students had greater odds than African Americans. Conclusion: Odds of psychosis-like experiences vary across and within ethno-racial categories among emerging adults in higher education. Future research may explore psychosis as a disparity impacting Native American/Alaska Native and multiracial/multi-ethnic populations.