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Relational sanctification, communal coping, and depression among African American couples
Antonius D Skipper1, Andrew H Rose2, Noel A Card3
1Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
|August 31, 2023
Summary
Religious African American couples can reduce depressive symptoms through relational sanctification and communal coping. This cooperative action, rooted in faith, benefits both partners
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- African Americans experience disproportionately high rates of depressive symptoms, despite the common use of religious coping mechanisms.
- Communal coping, a collective approach to managing stress and adversity, may be a significant factor in mitigating depression among religious African American couples.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between relational sanctification and depressive symptoms.
- To investigate the mediating role of communal coping in the relationship between relational sanctification and depressive symptoms within African American couples.
Main Methods:
- A common fate model was used to analyze data from 467 married and cohabiting African American couples.
- Relational sanctification, communal coping, and depressive symptoms were measured using established scales.
Main Results:
- Higher scores on relational sanctification were positively associated with increased communal coping.
- Greater communal coping was linked to fewer depressive symptoms in both men and women.
- Communal coping significantly mediated the association between relational sanctification and depressive symptoms for both partners.
Conclusions:
- Relational sanctification enhances communal coping, which in turn reduces depressive symptoms in African American couples.
- Findings highlight the importance of integrating religiosity and cooperative action in interventions aimed at alleviating depression in this population.
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