Discrimination, perceived control, and psychological health among African Americans with hypertension

Abstract

Hypertensive individuals represent a “vulnerable” population regarding psychological health. While African Americans are disproportionally burdened with hypertension, pathways predicting their psychological health remain understudied. We examine if discrimination is associated with psychological health, through an indirect effect of perceived control within a sample of African American individuals with prevalent hypertension ( n = 990). Discrimination was significantly associated with an increase psychological distress and a decrease in psychological well-being through a reduction in perceived control, supporting Minority Stress Theory. Cardiovascular disease risk factor management implications are discussed.

When women support the status quo: Gender moderates the relationship between openness to experience and system-justifying beliefs

“…Similarly, disadvantaged group members often deny discrimination to maintain perceived control over their lives (Ruggiero & Taylor, 1997). Because perceived discrimination predicts lower feelings of control (Vargas et al, 2020), epistemic needs may be especially salient for women in their day-to-day lives (Hogg, 2007; van den Bos, 2009). This is because the high levels of discrimination and inequality women experience (e.g., Edmunds, 2016; Kamrany & Robinson, 2012; Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2019) may heighten their need to see the world as stable and predictable (Hogg, 2007; van den Bos, 2009).…”

“…Using insights from CCT, we argue that being of disadvantaged status enhances the need for control, thus strengthening the relationship between epistemic needs (encompassed by low openness to experience) and system-justifying beliefs. Specifically, women’s experiences with inequality and discrimination (Edmunds, 2016) should reduce their feelings of control (Kraus et al, 2009; Vargas et al, 2020). In turn, the increased salience of uncontrollability should motivate women who are low in openness to experience (i.e., high epistemic needs) to reduce their perceptions of gender-based discrimination in order to satisfy their epistemic need for certainty (Kay & Eibach, 2013).…”

“…Hypothesis 4: One way that women could meet their epistemic needs is to reduce perceptions of gender-based discrimination, as doing so would allow them to regain a sense of control in an otherwise uncontrollable experience (Kraus et al, 2009; Vargas et al, 2020). As such, the moderating effect of gender on openness to experience and system-justifying beliefs should occur through perceptions of gender-based discrimination.…”

The role of sense of community in improving the health‐related quality of life among Black Americans

“…Sense of community has also been associated with “greater sense of purpose and perceived control” when exposed to concerns (Bachrach & Zautra, 1985 ). Both sense of purpose and perceived control are associated with health promotion (Kim et al, 2020 ; Vargas et al, 2021 ). Additionally, individuals with a high sense of community are not only more likely to be exposed to events that encourage health‐promoting behaviors (e.g., physical activity and healthy eating), they are more likely to participate in those events (Yip et al, 2016 ).…”

Witnessed Incivility and Perceptions of Patients and Visitors in Hospitals

“…Perceived control—the belief that one has control over outcomes in their life—is a critical health-related factor ( 25 , 26 ). Perceived control is believed to be shaped in part by the nature of one’s interpersonal environment ( 27 – 29 ). It is likely that witnesses of incivility will believe uncivil interactions shape the target’s sense of perceived control.…”