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Racial Differences in Effects of Religiosity and Mastery on Psychological Distress: Evidence from National
1Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA.
Society and Mental Health
|June 14, 2013
Summary
Religiosity significantly benefits Black Americans' emotional well-being, particularly public religiosity. Mastery is more helpful for White Americans' psychological distress. Both factors influence mental health through direct and indirect pathways.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Religiosity and mastery are key psychological resources influencing mental health.
- Understanding race-based differences in their impact on psychological distress is crucial.
- The stress and coping perspective guides the examination of these relationships.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate racial variations in the effects of religiosity and mastery on psychological distress among Black and White Americans.
- To assess direct and indirect pathways through which religiosity and mastery influence mental health.
- To explore the moderating role of these factors on individual stressors.
Main Methods:
- Utilized nationally representative longitudinal data.
- Employed a multipopulation LISREL (Linear Structural Relations) model.
- Analyzed direct effects, indirect effects (mediation), and interaction effects (moderation).
Main Results:
- Religiosity strongly benefits the emotional well-being of Black Americans, especially public religiosity.
- Mastery is moderately more beneficial for the psychological well-being of White Americans.
- Significant mediation and moderation effects of religiosity and mastery were found within each racial group.
Conclusions:
- Religiosity plays a vital role in the mental health of Black Americans, with public forms being particularly impactful.
- Mastery offers distinct psychological benefits for White Americans.
- Both religiosity and mastery are multifaceted resources that influence psychological distress through various mechanisms.
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