China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Working with African American Families
Published in Gwen Yeo, Linda A. Gerdner, Dolores Gallagher-Thompson, Ethnicity and the Dementias, 2018
Peggye Dilworth-Anderson, Heehyul Moon
We believe the concept of “John Henryism” (James, Hartnett, & Kalsbeek, 1983) can help explain these cautions. This concept is synonymous with prolonged, high-effort coping in the face of difficult psychological stressors. In the case of African American caregivers, getting the job done as a caregiver is more often associated with poor physical health outcomes, as compared to poor psychological outcomes. Getting the job done is also associated with positive appraisals of caregiving, feeling less burdened, and relying more on spiritual beliefs to deal with chronic stress in caregiving as compared to White caregivers. That is, past hardships and strong faith may lead to increased resilience among African American caregivers. Religiosity, therefore, can provide partial explanation for African Americans’ more positive appraisals of caregiving when compared to Whites (Roff et al., 2004). It also may support feelings of resilience by serving as a protective factor and therefore helping create a state of adaptation to a lifetime of stress and strain (Juster, McEwen, & Lupien, 2010).
Landscape Restructuring in the Shrinking City and Implications for Mental Health
Published in Igor Vojnovic, Amber L. Pearson, Gershim Asiki, Geoffrey DeVerteuil, Adriana Allen, Handbook of Global Urban Health, 2019
Jared Olson, Lora Daskalska, Kelly Hoormann, Kirsten Beyer
Another way that neighborhoods may “get under the skin” and lead to mental health disorders is via stress and, specifically, chronic exposure to neighborhood stressors (Taylor et al. 1997). Neighborhood stressors like fear of crime are associated with lower levels of social cohesion, while exposure to violence is associated with poor mental health outcomes (Scarborough et al. 2010; Stockdale et al. 2007). Similarly, fear of crime is associated with lower levels of self-reported mental well-being (Pearson and Breetzke 2014). Exposure to violence can lead to a range of specific mental health issues, as it can induce fear or the “fight or flight” response and may also result in the need to cope with loss (Taylor et al. 1997), as in after the death of a loved one. In the landmark Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) study, exposure to violence and other types of familial dysfunction (e.g. substance abuse) were associated with greater odds of numerous health conditions later in life (Felitti et al. 1998). Of particular note, individuals in the highest category examined (those reporting four or more types of adverse exposure in childhood) reported upwards of fourfold increased risk of mental health problems—specifically depression, suicide attempt, and substance abuse (Felitti et al. 1998). However, acute stress during childhood is not the only environmental risk factor. Theoretical research approaches to the life course such as John Henryism and the weathering hypothesis have argued that cumulative lifetime exposure to circumstances and environments that induce a physiological and psychological stress response can contribute to poorer health outcomes later in life (Bennett et al. 2004; Geronimus et al. 2006; Merritt et al. 2011).
Polysubstance use among frequent marijuana users: an examination of John Henryism Active Coping, psychiatric symptoms, and family social support among African American incarcerated men
Published in Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 2022
Paris B. Wheeler, Danelle Stevens-Watkins, Jardin N. Dogan, Daniel McCarthy
Results indicated that John Henryism Active Coping (JHAC) was associated with decreased risk for polysubstance use while psychiatric symptoms were associated with increased risk for polysubstance use. These findings contribute to the limited literature on JHAC and substance use. Our findings were consistent with previous research showing that JHAC is negatively associated with substance use (Fernander et al., 2005; Jones et al., 2019), suggesting JHAC may be a protective factor that could be incorporated in tailored substance treatment among incarcerated African American men. JHAC, a high effort coping style marked by self-reliance, is typically employed in response to low resources and difficult environmental stressors (James, 1994), which is characteristic of the environments incarcerated men face upon release (Baron et al., 2013; Western et al., 2015). Recently released offenders, particularly those with a history of addiction, are less likely to maintain stable housing and secure employment than ex-offenders without addiction history or mental illness (Western et al., 2015). Without effective coping mechanisms in place, these economic stressors may put recently released ex-offenders at greater risk for resuming substance use upon release.
Building a Contextually-Relevant Understanding of Resilience among African American Youth Exposed to Community Violence
Published in Behavioral Medicine, 2020
Briana Woods-Jaeger, Emily Siedlik, Amber Adams, Kaitlin Piper, Paige O’Connor, Jannette Berkley-Patton
Youth also expressed the importance of the cultural value of self-determination and shared examples of how this enhanced resilience after community violence. Self-determination emphasizes “defining, naming, and creating for oneself”38 and is an Africentric value associated with African American adolescent resilience.36 Self-determination is also reflected in cultural constructs specific to dealing with chronic stressors and adversity like John Henryism Active Coping39 and the Strong Black Woman Schema.40 John Henryism Active Coping consists of cultural beliefs that self-determination and hard work are required to cope with chronic stressors and adversities disproportionately experienced by African Americans.39,41 The Strong Black Woman Schema includes cultural beliefs and expectations of strength and “incessant resilience” among Black women again due to disproportionate exposure to adversity and stressors due to oppression.42 While self-determination may promote resilience in some areas (e.g., achievement and adjustment) it may also compromise resilience in others (e.g., physical health).43 Future research should examine if promoting the combination of the cultural values of self-determination along with the “holistic system of support” stipulated by communalism may provide optimal conditions for resilience across multiple areas.
Uncertainty in Transition of African American Caregivers
Published in Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 2020
Christine Unson, Deborah Flynn, Queendalene Chukwurah, Mary Anne Glendon, Tammy Testut
African-Americans were found to have stronger beliefs about filial and religions obligations to care for elder family members than Whites (Dilworth-Anderson et al., 2005; Pinquart & Sorensen, 2005). However, Dilworth-Anderson et al., reported African-American male caregivers (mostly sons) and those with more education had lower scores than African-American female caregivers and those with less education. Moreover, these obligations may lead to avoidant coping styles and subsequent poor health (Sayegh & Knight, 2011). Strong beliefs could breed family disagreements because such a belief could diminish the perception that family support is adequate or make caregivers who strongly adhere to it more sensitive to minor disagreements or criticisms (Koerner & Shirai, 2012). A further caveat is “John Henryism,” defined as a predisposition to strive against difficult circumstances. Merritt, McCallum and Fritsch (2011) found that African American female caregivers, who care for highly dependent care recipients and who exhibited a “high-effort coping style,” (p. 2) were at higher risk for cardiovascular disease.