Does Religion Buffer the Effects of Discrimination on Mental Health? Differing Effects by Race

Bierman, Alex

doi:10.1111/j.1468-5906.2006.00327.x

Cited by 131 publications

(118 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Religious participation has been shown to increase life satisfaction (Ellison 1993) and personal empowerment (Mattis 2001) for US Blacks. It is also protective against morbidity, mortality (Ellison et al 2000), mental health problems (Ellison and Gay 1990) and maladaptive coping with racial discrimination (Bierman 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Religion and spirituality among bisexual Black men in the USA

Jeffries

Dodge

Sandfort

2008

Culture, Health & Sexuality

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Traditionally, religion has been a major source of institutional support and well-being for Black people in the USA. However, when juxtaposed against sexuality, religion's positive effect upon the lives of non-heterosexual individuals is questionable. Research suggests that non-heterosexuals often abandon structured religion for spirituality due to the homonegativity perpetuated through religious institutions. Although studies have examined religion and spirituality among gays and lesbians, few have examined their roles in the lives of bisexuals. In this study, we analyzed qualitative interviews from 28 bisexual Black men who resided in New York City. In addition to church attendance, participants expressed belonging to religious communities through activities such as music ministry. Despite rejection because of their bisexuality, some participants saw other religious individuals as being accepting of them. Others discussed the church as a place where non-heterosexuals interacted, often for meeting sexual partners. Participants evoked beliefs in God in coping with adverse life experiences; some linked faith to family and sexual responsibilities. Drawing upon relevant literature, we discuss the implications of religion and spirituality for the quality of life of bisexual Black men in the USA.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Religion and spirituality among bisexual Black men in the USA

Jeffries

Dodge

Sandfort

2008

Culture, Health & Sexuality

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“…Additionally, religious organizations may have the ability to cater to less socially integrated populations, such as immigrants (Cadge & Ecklund, 2006). Factors associated with the religious service itself, such as messages about overcoming and forgiving persecutors may influence perceived discrimination (Bierman, 2006).…”

Section: Worship Attendance and Discriminationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Particularly in the Black community, the church is commonly seen as the center of spiritual, social, and political life. Religious bodies may be familiar with relevant social issues and are likely to offer social support (Bierman, 2006;Idler & Kasl, 1997). Resources may be related to the religious community itself, rather than the service specifically, as religious organizations and churches offer emotional and instrumental social support when individuals experience psychological distress.…”

Section: Worship Attendance and Discriminationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does Attending Worship Mitigate Racial/Ethnic Discrimination in Influencing Health Behaviors? Results From an Analysis of the California Health Interview Survey

Caldwell

Takahashi

2014

Health Educ Behav

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Existing research suggests that religious institutions play a significant role in improving the health of communities, particularly those coping with racial and ethnic discrimination. Using the California Health Interview Survey, this article examines the relationship of self-reported experiences of racial/ethnic discrimination, worship attendance, and several health behaviors. Supporting existing research, higher self-reported racial/ethnic discrimination is associated with worse health behaviors. Logistic regression models indicate that the odds of engaging in healthy lifestyle behaviors significantly increase for those who report attending worship, compared with those who do not attend worship, with variations by race/ethnicity. Worship attendance moderates the association between discrimination and binge drinking, but does not moderate the association for smoking, walking, or being obese. Findings suggest that religious attendance plays an important role in the health and well-being of all population groups. More research is needed to ascertain the reasons why attending worship may have the ability to mitigate the relationship between racial/ethnic discrimination and health.

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“…Thanks to the pioneering work of Kenneth Pargament and colleagues, social behavioral scientists are becoming increasingly aware of religion's formidable role in the coping process (Pargament 1997;Ellison and Henderson 2011;Koenig et al 2012). Studies in this field have shown, for example, that numerous dimensions of religious involvement can buffer or offset the psychosocial strains of traumatic life events (Ellison 1991), neighborhood disadvantage (Acevedo et al 2014;Krause 1998), financial hardship (Acevedo et al 2014;Krause 2003), and interpersonal conflicts such as experiences of discrimination (Bierman 2006;Ellison et al 2008). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kept in His Care: The Role of Perceived Divine Control in Positive Reappraisal Coping

DeAngelis

Ellison

2017

Religions

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A formidable body of literature suggests that numerous dimensions of religious involvement can facilitate productive coping. One common assumption in this field is that religious worldviews provide overarching frameworks of meaning by which to positively reinterpret stressors. The current study explicitly tests this assumption by examining whether perceived divine control-i.e., the notion that God controls the course and direction of one's life-buffers the adverse effects of recent traumatic life events on one's capacity for positive reappraisal coping. We analyze cross-sectional survey data from Vanderbilt University's Nashville Stress and Health Study (2011)(2012)(2013)(2014), a probability sample of non-Hispanic black and white adults aged 22 to 69 living in Davidson County, Tennessee (n = 1252). Findings from multivariate regression models confirm: (1) there was an inverse association between past-year traumatic life events and positive reappraisals; but (2) perceived divine control significantly attenuated this inverse association. Substantively, our findings suggest that people who believe God controls their life outcomes are better suited for positively reinterpreting traumatic experiences. Implications, limitations, and avenues for future research are discussed.

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Does Religion Buffer the Effects of Discrimination on Mental Health? Differing Effects by Race

Cited by 131 publications

References 59 publications

Religion and spirituality among bisexual Black men in the USA

Religion and spirituality among bisexual Black men in the USA

Does Attending Worship Mitigate Racial/Ethnic Discrimination in Influencing Health Behaviors? Results From an Analysis of the California Health Interview Survey

Kept in His Care: The Role of Perceived Divine Control in Positive Reappraisal Coping

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