Discrimination, trust, and well-being: dual risk-and-resilience pathways among African immigrants in 29 European countries

Findings suggest discrimination is associated with lower (bridging) trust and poorer well-being. In contrast, social exclusion is associated with a small, trust-mediated (bonding) pathway without a direct SWB benefit. Given the cross-sectional design and absence of race/skin-colour measures in ESS, implications are illustrative: reducing discriminatory experiences and co-designing initiatives that foster intercultural contact (bridging) and community solidarity (bonding) may align with better well-being, pending longitudinal and quasi-experimental confirmation.