title: Explaining African-Americans' depressive symptoms: a stress-distress and coping perspective.
abstract: Findings from five community surveys suggest that the depressive symptom scores of African-Americans are the same as, or lower than, those of Whites. This seems at odds with the minority status hypothesis that predicts higher rates of mental disorders for African-Americans. However, little is known about the role of African-American coping capacity during the life stress process which may shed light on the seeming contradiction. This cross-sectional survey examined the role of spirituality-coping, sense of control, and stress in predicting depressive symptoms among 3570 African-Americans. The findings showed that sense of control mediates the relationship between spirituality, life stressors, and depressive symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Archibald Optimal Health Services, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA. Archibaldoptimalhealthservices@gmail.com
authors.forename: Paul C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Archibald
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dobson Sydnor
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bronner
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029181:Spirituality; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult