This study examines the antecedent factors affecting the quality of life of African Americans. A theoretical model is proposed that identifies the effects of culture-specific coping and spiritual well-being as predictors of quality of life. A sample of 281 African Americans was administered a battery of questionnaires that examined the constructs of interest. The theoretical model was tested within a structural equation—modeling framework to identify both direct and indirect effects. Results indicate overall model fit, with both culture-specific coping and spiritual well-being as significant predictors of quality of life. Spiritual well-being partially mediated the effects of culture-specific coping on quality of life. The article concludes with a discussion of the study's findings in relation to quality of life issues for African Americans.
Arbuckle, J. L. (1999). Amos (Version 4.0) [Computer software]. Chicago: Smallwaters.
2.
Barbarin, O. (1993). Coping and resilience: Exploring the inner lives of African American children. Journal of Black Psychology, 19, 472-498.
3.
Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173-1182.
4.
Baumeister, R. F. (1991). Meanings of life. New York: Guildford.
5.
Boland, C. S. (2000). Social support and spiritual well-being: Empowering older adults to commit to health-promoting behaviors. Journal of Multicultural Nursing and Health, 6, 12-23.
6.
Coke, M. M., & Twaite, J. A. (1995). The Black elderly: Satisfaction and quality of later life. New York: Haworth.
7.
Constantine, M. G., Donnelly, P. C., & Myers, L. J. (2002). Collective self-esteem and africultural coping styles in African American adolescents. Journal of Black Studies, 32, 698-710.
8.
Daly, A., Jennings, J., Beckett, J. O., & Leashore, B. R. (1995). Effective coping strategies of African Americans. Social Work, 40, 240-248.
9.
Ellison, C. (1983). Spiritual Well-Being: Conceptualization and measurement. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 11, 330-340.
10.
Ferraro, K., & Koch, J. (1994). Religion and health among Black and White adults: Examining social support and consolation. Journal of the Scientific Study of Religion, 4, 362-375.
11.
Hill, P. C., & Pargament, K. I. (2003). Advances in the conceptualization and measurement of religion and spirituality. American Psychologist, 58, 64-74.
12.
Jackson, A. P., & Sears, S. J. (1992). Implications of an Africentric worldview in reducing stress for African American women. Journal of Counseling & Development, 71, 184-190.
13.
Kim, J., Heineman, A. W., Bode, R. K., Sliwa, J., & King, R. B. (2000). Spirituality, quality of life, and functional recovery after medical rehabilitation. Rehabilitation Psychology, 45, 365-385.
14.
King, L. A., & Napa, C. K. (1998). What makes a life good?American Psychologist, 75, 156-165.
15.
Kwan, V. S. Y., Bond, M. H., & Singelis, T. S. (1997). Pancultural explanations for life satisfaction: Adding relationship harmony to self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73, 1038-1051.
16.
Levin, J. S., Chatters, L. M., & Taylor, R. J. (1995). Religious effects on health status and life satisfaction among Black Americans. Journal of Gerontology, 50, 154-163.
17.
Levin, J. S., Taylor, R. J., & Chatters, L. M. (1994). Race and gender differences in religiosity among older adults: Findings from four national surveys. Journal of Gerontology, 49, 137-145.
18.
Mattis, J. S. (2002). Religion and spirituality in the meaning-making and coping experiences of African American women: A qualitative analysis. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 26, 309-321.
19.
McNulty, K., Livneh, H., & Wilson, L. M. (2004). Perceived uncertainty, spiritual well-being, and psychosocial adaptation in individuals with multiple sclerosis. Rehabilitation Psychology, 49, 91-99.
20.
Miller, G., Fleming, W., & Brown-Anderson, F. (1998). Spiritual Well-Being Scale: Ethnic differences between Caucasians and African-Americans. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 26, 358-364.
21.
National Center for Health Statistics (2002). National vital statistics report (Vol. 50, No. 16). Hyattsville, MD: Author.
22.
Newlin, K., Knafl, K., & D'Eramo Melkus, G. (2002). African American spirituality: A concept analysis. Advanced Nursing Science, 25, 57-70.
23.
Paloutzian, R. F., & Ellison, C. W. (1982). Loneliness, spiritual well-being and quality of life. In L. A. Peplau & D. Perlman (Eds.), Loneliness: A sourcebook of current theory, research, and therapy(pp. 224-237). New York: Wiley Interscience.
24.
Parks, F. M. (1998). Models of helping and coping: A transgenerational theory of African-American traditional healing. Revista Interamericana de Psicologia, 32, 95-110.
25.
Potts, R. (1996). Spirituality and the experience of cancer in an African-American community: Implications for psychosocial oncology. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 14, 1-19.
26.
Semmes, C. E. (1996). Racism, health, and post-industrialism: A theory of African American health. Westport, CT: Praeger.
27.
Simoni, J. M., Martone, M. G., Kerwin, J. F. (2002). Spirituality and psychological adaptation among women with HIV/AIDS: Implications for counseling. The Journal of Counseling Psychology, 49, 139-147.
28.
Tanyi, R. A. (2002). Towards clarification of the meaning of spirituality. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 39, 500-509.
29.
Taylor, R. J., Chatters, L. M., & Levin, J. (2004). Religion in the lives of African Americans: Social, psychological, and health perspectives. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
30.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (1999). Mental health: A report of the Surgeon General. Retrieved December 2, 2003, from http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/.
31.
Utsey, S. O., Adams, E. P., & Bolden, M. (2000). Development and validation of the Africultural Coping Systems Inventory. Journal of Black Psychology, 26, 194-215.
32.
Utsey, S. O., Bolden, M. A., Brown, C. F., & Chae, M. (2000). Assessing quality of life in the context of culture. In L. Suzuki, J. Ponterotto, & P. Meller (Eds.), Handbook of multicultural assessment (2nd ed., pp. 191-212). New York: Josey-Bass.
33.
WHO Quality of Life Group. (1994). Development of the WHOQOL: Rationale and current status. International Journal of Mental Health, 23, 24-56.
34.
WHO Quality of Life Group. (1998). Group development of the World Health Organization WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment. Psychological Medicine, 28, 551-558.
35.
Wilson, S., & Miles, M. (2001). Spirituality in African-American mothers coping with a seriously ill infant. Journal of Social Pediatric Nursing, 6, 116-122.
