A sociocultural stress and coping model for mental health outcomes among African American caregivers in Southern California

Bob G. Knight, Merril Silverstein, T. J. McCallum, Fox Lauren S

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

172 Scopus citations

Abstract

A sociocultural stress and coping model to explain emotional distress among caregivers of family members who have dementia across ethnic and cultural groups is presented and explored in a sample of 41 African American and 128 non-African American caregivers. In this sample, African American caregivers reported lower levels of burden but equal levels of depression and anxiety. In the structural equation model, previous reports that African Americans' lower appraisal of caregiving as burdensome resulted in lower levels of emotional distress were confirmed. However, in this model, this pathway was counterbalanced by a tendency of African American caregivers to use emotion-focused coping and, therefore, increase emotional distress. African American caregivers were also younger and in poorer health, factors which lend to increase both burden and emotional distress outcomes. As suggested by the sociocultural stress and coping model, the influences of ethnic group variables on stress and coping processes are complex and multidirectional.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)P142-P150
JournalJournals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Volume55
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2000
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health(social science)
  • Sociology and Political Science
  • Life-span and Life-course Studies

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