Psychosocial Stress and Mental Health in Diverse Societies: A Global Panel Analysis of Ethnic and Religious Heterogeneity

Mengya Zhao^1*Yuqi Zhao²Wang Tingting²

• ¹Daejin University, Pocheon, Republic of Korea
• ²Weifang University of Science and Technology, Shouguang, China

This study examines the complex dynamics between ethnic diversity, structural psychosocial stress, and mental health disorders, using a panel dataset encompassing 187 countries over three decades (1990-2023). The primary purpose is to examine a hypothesized pathway through which ethnic and religious diversity has an influence on mental health disorders mediated by structural psychosocial stress and moderated by gender equality. Using robust estimation methods, such as PCSE and random effects models, it is found that diversity, in the absence of inclusive institutions and cohesive governance, highly contributes to psychosocial stress, which in turn leads to an aggravation of mental health disorders at the population scale. The results provide a theoretical validation of expectations based on ecological systems theory and social identity theory, proving the way in which macro-level structural stressors, like inequality, institutional erosion, and intergroup tension, may infiltrate personal well-being. These stress-buffering protective social factors, such as civic activism, intergroup trust, gender equality, and associational life, mitigate the negative effects of diversity on mental health. The formal mediation analysis with bootstrapping indicates that psychosocial stress mediates the diversity-mental health relationship and the mediation is less significant in societies characterized by more gender equality, which proves the conditional nature of these pathways. the primary contribution of the research is that it empirically proves this moderated mediation effect at a global level. These findings support the significance of joint policy strategies promoting institutional inclusiveness and the bonding of social cohesion. Multilevel interventions to enhance psychosocial resilience are instrumental in creating healthier, more collaborative societies with stronger economic performance and better public health outcomes.