Arrested Realities: Unveiling the Influence of Identity and Skin Tone on Depression

The aim of the current study is to examine the relationship between experiencing arrest and subsequent changes in depression symptoms within the framework of the stress process model. We specifically focus on how this relationship may be impacted by both self-reported racial/ethnic identity and interviewer-perceived skin tone both separately and in combination. We use data from waves I–IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) and our analysis employs ordinary least squares regression models to capture changes in self-reported depression between Waves III and IV. Overall, being arrested is a risk-factor for significant increases in self-reported depression symptoms over time, suggesting that the psychological impact of arrest is so pervasive and detrimental that it significantly affects individuals across all racial/ethnic groups, overriding potential differences in our models. We do not find evidence that darker skin tones or racial/ethnic identity compound the relationship between arrest and depression changes.