Implications of an Africentric Worldview in Reducing Stress for African American Women

Jackson, Anita P.; Sears, Susan Jones

doi:10.1002/j.1556-6676.1992.tb02196.x

Cited by 71 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The black women reported the highest stress levels, these being significantly higher than the stress levels reported by the white and Asian women. These findings are consistent with the findings of Jackson and Sears (1992) and Møller (1998), who posit that differences in access to resources like good training, high-level posts and sufficient remuneration hamper black women's ability to master work-related demands and that these therefore result in higher stress levels in black women. It seems that black women are exposed to significantly (a high practical significance) more non-work-related stressors than white and Asian women, the mean scores of the black participants reflecting a high stress level.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

A cross-cultural comparison of the stress experienced by high-level career women

Berg

Zyl

2008

SA j ind psychol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A cross-culturAl compArison of the stress experienced by high-level cAreer women ABSTRACTThis study examines differences in the experience of work-related stress and of exposure to workrelated stressors among South African career women of different ethnic groups. A sample of 732 women working in administrative, semi-professional, professional and managerial positions was involved. Analyses of covariance found significant differences in the level of stress reported by the different groups, with black women reporting the highest level of stress. Stressors pertaining to a lack of infrastructure and resources in the environment significantly contributed to the stress experienced by black women. All four groups reported discontent with their remuneration and fringe benefits.Keywords: South African career women, occupational stress, job-related stressors, conservation-ofresources theory, criterion group design The composition of the South African labour force is rapidly changing. During the past three decades, the participation of women in the formal labour market, for example, has increased significantly. Msimang (2001), in fact, emphasises the increasing numbers of women, specifically black women, who are moving into high-level careers due to the impact of the Employment Equity Act. Unfortunately, these women are not exempt from the stressful consequences of their increased involvement in the formal labour market. Erasmus (1998) found in a study of the stress experiences of high-level career women from different ethnic groups that more than half reported problems with high levels of work-related stress. Some researchers (Erwee, 1994;Møller, 1998) even suggest that the impact of the Employment Equity Act, which encourages the promotion of more women to managerial positions, may lead to increased levels of stress among women because of their lack of training and the negative impact of gender discrimination on the adjustment of women. What seems to play an important role in the difficulties experienced by many career women is the lack of investment in resources like training, decision-making authority and social support.The conservation-of-resources model of stress (Hobfoll, 1989; was used as the guiding model to conceptualise this study. Hobfoll (1989) strongly supports an ecological approach to stress that emphasises the importance of thinking of people as members of social systems and structures. According to Hobfoll's model, stress develops due to an imbalance between the perceived threat and the perceived ability to master the threat. This model seems to fit in well with a cross-cultural perspective of stress because of its strong focus on the objective reality of stressful situations. Hobfoll (1988, p.25) Resources serve as a means of helping individuals to realise their goals and to gain control over their environment. They

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

A cross-cultural comparison of the stress experienced by high-level career women

Berg

Zyl

2008

SA j ind psychol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Nonetheless, it may be informative to consider these data in a culturally relevant context, such as an Africentric world view. This world view has been characterized as the set of "philosophic assumptions and principles that originated in Africa and that are often reflected in the values, attitudes, and customs of Africans and people of African descent" [13]. Key dimensions of the Africentric world view that are relevant to the present study are: (1) time orientation, (2) interpersonal relationships, and (3) spirituality.…”

Section: A Cultural Interpretationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethnic differences in risk perception among women at increased risk for breast cancer

Hughes

Lerman

Lustbader

1996

Breast Cancer Res Tr

127

119

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

There has been increasing interest in the role of cultural and ethnic factors in breast cancer risk perceptions and screening practices. This study examined ethnic differences in breast cancer risk perception in 112 African American and 224 white women ages 35 and older who had at least one first-degree relative diagnosed with breast cancer. These samples were matched for education and age. Data on breast cancer risk factors, risk perceptions, breast cancer worries, and breast cancer screening practices were collected through structured telephone interviews. The results show that African American women were significantly less likely than white women to report heightened perceptions of personal risk after their relative was diagnosed with breast cancer (61% vs 82%; p < .001). Despite this, African American women had significantly greater concerns about their personal risk of breast cancer and worries about their affected relative. African American women also scored significantly higher than white women on a measure of avoidance of breast cancer-related thoughts and feelings. These psychological variables were associated independently with breast cancer risk perception in multivariate models, taking precedence over demographic and risk factor predictors. Observed ethnic differences in breast cancer risk perceptions and psychological distress may be attributable to the influence of cultural factors particular to people of African descent, such as the importance of interpersonal relationships, spirituality, and time orientation. An Africentric perspective is used to interpret these findings and to provide suggestions for delivering effective breast cancer risk counseling to African American women.

show abstract

“…Temporal orientation, or attitudes about specific domains of time (e.g., past, present, and future), is one of the primary contexts through which individuals understand and give meaning to experiences (14). Temporal orientation is an aspect of one's cultural worldview, which is a set of interrelated beliefs about reality (15)(16)(17). Previous research has shown that temporal orientation related to health behaviors may differ among African Americans and Caucasians (18).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sociocultural Predictors of Breast Cancer Risk Perceptions in African American Breast Cancer Survivors

Brewster¹,

Wileyto²,

Kessler³

et al. 2007

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers &Amp; Prevention

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Although African American breast cancer survivors are at increased risk for developing breast cancer again, empirical data are not available on breast cancer risk perceptions in these women. This study characterized perceived risk of developing breast cancer in African American breast cancer survivors at risk for having a BRCA1 or BRCA1 (BRCA1/2) mutation and identified factors having significant independent associations with risk perceptions. Participants were 95 African American breast cancer survivors at an increased risk for having a BRCA1/2 mutation. Risk perceptions and sociodemographic, clinical, treatment, and sociocultural factors were collected during a structured telephone interview. Most women reported that they had the same or lower risk of developing breast cancer again compared with other women (53%); however, a substantial minority of women (47%) reported that they had a higher or much higher risk. Factors having significant independent associations with heightened risk perceptions included having a z10% prior probability of having a BRCA1/2 mutation [odds ratio (OR), 2.91; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.09-7.72; P = 0.03] and more years of formal education (OR, 2.74; 95% CI, 1.02-7.36; P = 0.05). In addition, women who thought about the past a lot were three times more likely to report heightened risk perceptions compared with those who did not think about the past a lot (OR, 3.72; 95% CI, 1.45-9.57; P = 0.01). These results suggest that it may be important to ensure adequate risk comprehension among African American women as part of genetic counseling for inherited breast-ovarian cancer risk. Discussion of risk perceptions within the context of existing beliefs and values may facilitate this process. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(2):244 -8)

show abstract

Implications of an Africentric Worldview in Reducing Stress for African American Women

Cited by 71 publications

References 21 publications

A cross-cultural comparison of the stress experienced by high-level career women

A cross-cultural comparison of the stress experienced by high-level career women

Ethnic differences in risk perception among women at increased risk for breast cancer

Sociocultural Predictors of Breast Cancer Risk Perceptions in African American Breast Cancer Survivors

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About