title: Racial Discrimination and Psychological Wellbeing of Pregnant Women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  African American women are more likely to be exposed to racial discrimination and to experience psychological distress compared with white women. Although studies have shown that social support is positively related to psychological wellbeing, little is known about the potential buffering effect of social support on the relationship between racial discrimination and psychological wellbeing of pregnant women. The purpose of this study was to determine if social support moderates effects of racial discrimination on psychological wellbeing among pregnant African American women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a cross-sectional design, 107 African American women between 15 and 26 weeks gestation from an urban university-based midwifery practice completed questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women who reported more experiences of racial discrimination also reported lower levels of social support and psychological wellbeing (p <.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal child nurses should be aware that experiences of racial discrimination have negative effects on psychological wellbeing of pregnant African American women regardless of their levels of social support. However, social support can reduce psychological distress and improve wellbeing of pregnant women. Therefore, nurses need to provide pregnant women with positive and supportive experiences that may improve their psychological wellbeing.
authors.affiliation: Carmen Giurgescu is an Assistant Professor at College of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. The author can be reached via e-mail at carmen.giurgescu@wayne.edu Shannon N. Zenk is an Associate Professor at College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL. Christopher G. Engeland is an Assistant Professor at Department of Biobehavioral Health and College of Nursing, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. Lindsey Garfield is an Assistant Professor at Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing, Loyola University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Thomas N. Templin is a Professor at College of Nursing, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giurgescu
authors.forename: Shannon N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Zenk
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Engeland
authors.forename: Lindsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Garfield
authors.forename: Thomas N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Templin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*; D063505:Racism / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000208:ethnology