Race and SES Differences in Psychosocial Resources: Implications for Social Stress Theory

Abstract

Social stress theory predicts that psychosocial resources shape health inequalities but is less clear about the ways in which the availability of resources differs across racial and socioeconomic groups. Using data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study (N = 1,214), the present study assessed racial and socioeconomic status (SES) differences in mastery, self-esteem, and social support; evaluated the extent to which SES accounts for racial differences in resources; and considered the interactive roles of race and SES in shaping resources among Black and White adults. Results show Blacks have greater access to resources, but SES yields greater psychosocial benefits among Whites. Findings demonstrate that SES and race may jointly and independently shape access to resources. This study contributes to the broader literature on status distinctions in psychosocial resources, providing new insights into the ways in which race and SES shape access to these health-protective resources while also raising several questions for future research.

Is John Henryism a Health Risk or Resource?: Exploring the Role of Culturally Relevant Coping for Physical and Mental Health among Black Americans

“…Despite increased exposure to stressors, lifetime adversity, fewer socioeconomic resources, and compromised physical health, black Americans often report relatively low rates of major psychiatric disorders (Erving, Thomas, and Frazier 2018; Thomas Tobin et al 2021). At the same time, high levels of psychological distress (i.e., depressive symptoms) and poor physical health tend to be prevalent among this group (Barnes and Bates 2017; Mouzon et al 2016; Thomas Tobin 2021; Thomas Tobin et al 2020).…”

“…Assessing depressive symptoms is beneficial because they provide a strong assessment of subclinical risk and generalized distress, which tends to be influenced by stress exposure (Kessler 1979; Pearlin et al 1981). Given the mental health paradox, which emphasizes the relatively low rates of psychiatric disorders and the high rates of psychological distress among this population (Assari 2019; Barnes and Bates 2017; Barnes, Keyes, and Bates 2013; Mouzon et al 2016; Thomas Tobin, Erving, and Barve 2021), we also chose to focus on depressive symptoms because it might provide more insight into the mental health challenges of black Americans. Taken together, the present study seeks to shed light on the ways that John Henryism as a form of culturally relevant coping may contribute to unexpected physical and mental health patterns among black Americans.…”

Family SES Is Associated with the Gut Microbiome in Infants and Children

“…Further, we did not have access to diet variables such as food quantity/quality or diversity, which could be driving the associations observed with SES. Since SES is associated with a variety of lifestyle factors such as medication use, pet ownership [5], psychosocial stress [77], and host environment [9,78], we are unable to determine which of these factors is driving associations with microbiome metrics. Associations found with SES in this study were small in magnitude.…”

Can Pets Replace Children? The Interaction Effect of Pet Attachment and Subjective Socioeconomic Status on Fertility Intention

“…Expressions such as "more sons, more happiness" (duo zi duo fu) and "life is more complete with both a son and a daughter" (er nü shuang quan) reflect this cultural tradition. Compared to individuals with high subjective SES, people with low subjective SES tend to have fewer psychosocial resources and feel more pressured by their life circumstances [45]. Thus, they are less likely to be affected by pet attachment and to challenge the social norms to have fewer children.…”