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. 2010 Apr;72(2):346-359.
doi: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00704.x.

Buffers of Racial Discrimination: Links with Depression among Rural African American Mothers

Erica C Odom  1 , Lynne Vernon-Feagans
Affiliations

Buffers of Racial Discrimination: Links with Depression among Rural African American Mothers

Erica C Odom et al. J Marriage Fam. 2010 Apr.

Abstract

The current study examines racial discrimination as a predictor of depression in a sample of 414 rural, low-income African American mothers of young children. The potential moderating role of optimism and church-based social support was also examined. Mothers completed questionnaires when their child was 24-months-old. Hierarchical regression revealed that mothers' perception of racism was a significant predictor of depression even after controlling for a variety of distal demographic characteristics and environmental stressors. Significant interactions suggested the importance of psychological and social characteristics in understanding maternal depression. Specifically, high levels of optimism and church-based social support buffered mothers from increased depressive symptomology due to perceived racism.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Moderating Effect of Optimism in the Relationship between Maternal Perceived Racial Discrimination and Depression
Figure 2
Figure 2
Moderating Effect of Church-based Social Support in the Relationship between Maternal Perceived Racial Discrimination and Depression
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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