A relational framework for the study of religiosity and spirituality in the lives of African Americans

Thriving Among African‐American Adolescents: Religiosity, Religious Support, and Communalism

“…While religious support did not mediate the relation between religiosity and thriving, the pathways contributed to the model fit, suggesting connections between these factors. The significant link between religious support and thriving adds to our understanding of the positive impact of African-American adolescent church involvement (Ball et al, 2003;Kerestes et al, 2004;Mattis & Jagers, 2001).…”

“…Engagement in religion helps AfricanAmerican youth to endorse prosocial values (Mattis & Jagers, 2001), and youth who report higher religious salience are more likely to report civic engagement and participation in extracurricular activities (Kerestes, Youniss & Metz, 2004). Higher levels of religiosity are also associated with better psychological functioning among AfricanAmerican female adolescents (Ball et al, 2003).…”

“…Adolescents engaged in religious organizations often have the opportunity to develop life skills through leadership opportunities and interactions with positive role models (Smith, 2003). For example, Black churches commonly serve as surrogate or extended families for their members (Donahue & Benson, 1995;Mattis & Jagers, 2001).…”

Role of spirituality in cancer coping among African Americans: a qualitative examination

“…Spirituality is an important component of African American culture [10]. From an historical perspective, many African Americans coped with the experience of slavery by embracing Christianity and viewing Christ's suffering as symbolic of their own [11].…”

“…From an historical perspective, many African Americans coped with the experience of slavery by embracing Christianity and viewing Christ's suffering as symbolic of their own [11]. For many African Americans, spirituality often facilitates in the process of creating and maintaining relationships with others [10]. Older African Americans use their spirituality to reframe remembered past experiences in a spiritual way [12].…”