Distress and hardiness: a comparison of African-American and white caregivers

The difficulties and burdens of family caregiving, including mental and physical distress, have been well delineated, especially among White populations. Researchers have suggested that buffers for stress associated with caregiving might include hardiness, social support, or cultural group membership, with African-American caregivers perceiving less stress. This paper reports mental and physical distress and family hardiness among 46 African-American and White caregivers of stroke survivors. In contrast to other reports, African-American and White caregivers in this sample were found to be similar on most demographic measures, estimates of caregiver health, estimates of distress, and estimates of hardiness. The single estimate which showed interethnic difference was the confidence sub-scale of the Family Hardiness Index, on which African-Americans scored lower. This sub-scale is believed to estimate confidence in ability to cope with life's problems.