This study supports the long-standing cultural tradition of African American families providing care to dependent elders. Cultural reasons for caregiving need to be interpreted within the context of race and gender socialization. Social roles, such as husband or wife, son or daughter, can also help determine how individuals within a particular cultural group experience cultural expectations and obligations. Information from this study can inform culturally appropriate caregiving interventions.

The findings from this study have implications for future studies, particularly in regard to cultural beliefs and values among African American caregivers.

Marital Well-Being Using a sample of 247 African American and European American women in their 3rd year of marriage, this study compared the predictors of marital well-being for each group by focusing on the influences of individual, interpersonal, and social and economic resources. Regression analyses revealed that emotional health (individual), trusting one's spouse (interpersonal), and feeling underbenefited in the relationship (interpersonal) were significant predictors of marital well-being for both groups of women. Physical health (individual) and in-law relations (social and economic), however, affected the marital well-being of only African American women. Findings from this study suggest the need to examine marital wellbeing within the context of race.

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