This study assessed whether the black-white mental health epidemiologic paradox (i.e., blacks' lower or similar rates of mental disorder relative to whites) extends across 12 lifetime and past-year psychiatric disorders and whether it varies with gender. We used data from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication and the National Survey of American Life, 2001-2003 (n = 4,584 black and 6,668 non-Hispanic white persons). Results showed overwhelming evidence of the paradox across lifetime and past-year disorders for women and men. In addition, blacks' mental health advantage over whites widened after adjusting for socioeconomic factors. There was one exception: Black women experienced higher risk of lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder compared with white women. These findings provide strong evidence for the "black-white mental health paradox"; however, additional research is needed to understand black women's heightened risk for posttraumatic stress disorder.

Social stress theory predicts that psychosocial resources shape health inequalities but is less clear about the ways in which the availability of resources differs across racial and socioeconomic groups. Using data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study (N = 1,214), the present study assessed racial and socioeconomic status (SES) differences in mastery, self-esteem, and social support; evaluated the extent to which SES accounts for racial differences in resources; and considered the interactive roles of race and SES in shaping resources among Black and White adults. Results show Blacks have greater access to resources, but SES yields greater psychosocial benefits among Whites. Findings demonstrate that SES and race may jointly and independently shape access to resources. This study contributes to the broader literature on status distinctions in psychosocial resources, providing new insights into the ways in which race and SES shape access to these health-protective resources while also raising several questions for future research.

Prior research shows that emotional reliance, an indicator of interpersonal dependence, is an important psychosocial risk factor for mental health problems. However, few have considered black-white differences in emotional reliance or the role it may play in racial variations in mental health outcomes. Using a community epidemiologic sample of adults in Nashville, Tennessee, the current study builds on the small literature on emotional reliance by exploring three aims. First, we evaluate racial differences in emotional reliance. Second, we examine the association between emotional reliance and mental health. Last, we assess the relationships among race, emotional reliance, and mental health. Findings reveal that emotional reliance is generally associated with higher depressive symptoms, more anxiety symptoms, and lower levels of life satisfaction. However, the magnitude of these relationships is greater for blacks compared to whites. We discuss the implications of these findings and areas of promising future research.

Integrating the intersectionality framework and stress theory, this study identifies the stressors and psychosocial resources contributing to the physical and psychological health status of African American women. Using the National Survey of American Life ( N = 2,077), the authors examine the relationship between stress exposures, psychological resources, and health among African American women. The results show that not all psychological resources buffered the deleterious health effects of multiple stress exposures and that the effects of stress and psychological resources differ by health domain. One important finding is that chronic stress negatively affects both mental and physical health, even after adjusting for other stress exposures and psychological resources. Traditional forms of psychological resources, such as social support, mastery, and self-esteem, do not completely ameliorate the negative effects of stress and, in some cases, amplify the negative effects of stress on health. The findings demonstrate the need to disentangle the differential impact of psychosocial factors on African American women’s health.

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