Social Support from Church and Family Members and Depressive Symptoms Among Older African Americans

Abstract

Objectives This study examined the influence of church and family based social support on depressive symptoms and serious psychological distress among older African Americans. Methods The analysis is based on the National Survey of American Life (NSAL). Church and family based informal social support correlates of depressive symptoms (CES-D) and serious psychological distress (K6) were examined. Data from 686 African Americans aged 55 years or older who attend religious services at least a few times a year are used in this analysis. Results Multivariate analysis found that social support from church members was significantly and inversely associated with depressive symptoms and psychological distress. Frequency of negative interactions with church members was positively associated with depressive symptoms and psychological distress. Social support from church members remained significant but negative interaction from church members did not remain significant when controlling for indicators of family social support. Among this sample of church goers, emotional support from family was a protective factor and negative interaction with family was a risk factor for depressive symptoms and psychological distress. Conclusions This is the first investigation of the relationship between church and family based social support and depressive symptoms and psychological distress among a national sample of older African Americans. Overall, the findings indicate that social support from church networks was protective against depressive symptoms and psychological distress. This finding remained significant when controlling for indicators of family social support.

Family, friends, and 12-month PTSD among African Americans

“…Further, PTSD is also commonly associated with learning and memory impairments (Burriss et al, 2008) and is comorbid with major depressive disorder (Amaya-Jackson et al, 1999) and substance abuse (Buckley, Mozley, Bedard, Dewulf, & Greif, 2004; Thomas et al, 2010)—all of which have consequences for social functioning and personal relationships. Social relationships may be particularly important in understanding African Americans’ mental health, (Chatters, Taylor, Woodward, & Nicklett, 2015; Lincoln, 2000; Taylor, Chae, Lincoln, & Chatters, 2015)as prior research has found that positive relationship qualities, such as social support and subjective closeness, are predictive of more favorable mental health outcomes, and negative relationship qualities, such as negative interactions, are predictive of poorer mental health outcomes (Lincoln, 2000; Nguyen, Chatters, Taylor, & Mouzon, 2015; Taylor et al, 2015). The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between social support, negative interactions and 12-month PTSD in a nationally representative sample of African Americans in the U.S.…”

Church Member Support Benefits Psychological Well-Being of Pregnant African American Women

“…Rural low-income mothers of children 12 years old or younger (44% minority) who reported higher levels of attendance at religious services also reported lower level of depressive symptoms (Garrison, Marks, Lawrence, & Braun, 2004). However, other researchers have not found a relationship between attendance at religious services and depressive symptoms in men and women (Chatters et al, 2014; Krause, Bruce, Hayward, & Woolever, 2014). …”

“…Older adults from Australia who consistently attended religious services reported lower levels of depressive symptoms compared with older adults who did not attend religious services (Law & Sbarra, 2009). Similarly, older African Americans who attended religious services nearly every day had less psychological distress (Chatters, Taylor, Woodward, & Nicklett, 2014). Rural low-income mothers of children 12 years old or younger (44% minority) who reported higher levels of attendance at religious services also reported lower level of depressive symptoms (Garrison, Marks, Lawrence, & Braun, 2004).…”

“…To our knowledge, this is the first study to report that church member support is related to psychological well-being of pregnant women. Other researchers found that emotional support from church members is related to fewer depressive symptoms in non-pregnant women (Chatters et al, 2014; Holt. Wang, Clark, Williams, & Schulz, 2013).…”

Bridging the Divide: Advances and Challenges in Understanding the Impact of Race and Ethnicity on the Mental Health of Older Adults

“…1 Given the high rate of religious service attendance and the central role of church-based social supports in many African American communities, 1 Chatters et al 3 examined the influences of church and family informal support networks on depressive symptoms among older African Americans. Crosssectional data were included from 686 African Americans (age 55 years or older) who endorsed attending religious services in the National Survey of American Life.…”