Family Functioning and Stress in African American Families

Abstract

Having social support substantially reduces the effects of stressful experiences. Family relationships are central components of social support for African Americans. In a community-based sample of African Americans (n = 255), the relationship between family functioning and stress was examined, as well as possible mediators of this relationship, independent of demographic variables. Using multiple regression analysis, close and flexible family relationships were linked to lower perceived stress levels. The association of family functioning and stress operated through the internal processes of anxiety, depression, daily hassles, and higher hardiness and explained more than half of the variance in stress levels. These findings also remained above and beyond the known stressor of discrimination and the known stress reducer of spirituality. These findings suggest that expanding traditional stress management programs to include strategies for bolstering family functioning could have significant benefits.

Gendered Racism in the Lives of Black Women: A Qualitative Exploration

“…Furthermore, we found this intersection of race and gender to be associated with how Black women in our study (a) navigate societal expectations, (b) navigate relationships (or lack thereof), and (c) navigate lack of resources and limited opportunities. Many of our results are consistent with findings from previous investigations (Jerald et al, 2017; Pollock et al, 2015; Thomas et al, 2008) and further advance understanding the impact of gendered racism in the lives of Black women.…”

“…In addition to romantic relationships, some women expressed that dealings with family members (outside of their household) were stressful. When addressing issues associated with navigating relationships with family, it is important to note that connection with family members has been found to serve as a protective stress-reducing factor for Black women (Pollock et al, 2015). For example, responsibilities in the household are often shared among kin, but they may also shift to other family members or close friends.…”

Family Resilience Amid Stigma and Discrimination: A Conceptual Model for Families Headed by Same‐Sex Parents

“…Another potential mediator of the link between discrimination and family cohesion is the intensity of negative affect and daily hassles that are triggered-a stress-amplification process (Edmond, Granberg, Simons, & Lei, 2014). This mediational pathway has been documented primarily in ethnic minority samples (e.g., Pollock, Kazman, & Deuster, 2015), which suggests that discrimination and hostility disrupt important family regulatory processes related to family cohesion and coherence (MacPhee et al, 2015). Thus, experiences with discrimination may contribute to heightened negative reactivity over time, resulting in less nurturing and cohesive parent and family processes (Murry, Brown, Brody, Cutrona, & Simons, 2001).…”

Do the Constructs of the FACES IV Change Based on Definitions of “Family?” A Measurement Invariance Test

“…Recently, FACES has been used to examine binge drinking in adolescents (Laghi, Baiocco, Lonigro, Capacchione, & Baumgartner, ), risk factors of poor attendance in family based interventions for pediatric obesity (Williams et al., ), first generation family businesses (Michael‐Tsabari & Lavee, ), and resilience in the context of adverse childhood experiences (Oshri et al., ). The FACES has also been used with diverse populations, including adolescents in Rome (Baiocco, Cacioppo, Laghi, & Tafà, ), African Americans in the United States (Pollock, Kazman, & Deuster, ), and military families (Oshri et al., ).…”