| dc.description.abstract | African-American women are considered one of the most religious cultural groups in the United States. Despite high levels of religiosity within this group, various stressors associated with experienced racism, sexism, and other life occurrences require coping as a method to endure negative experiences. While coping through religion is not uncommon, researchers sought to explore how different beliefs impacted the coping process among African-American women. This study investigated religious coping methods, well-being, and denominational affiliation of African-American women in three Protestant denominations where African Americans are highly represented: African Methodist Episcopal, Baptist (as governed by the National Baptist Convention, USA), and Church of God in Christ.
The participant sample (N=202) was drawn from 14 churches in Houston, Texas and Bryan, Texas and ranged in age from 18 to 94. Participants completed surveys pertaining to demographics, religious coping methods, and current well-being. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to justify variable creation for positive and negative religious coping methods; a regression analysis determined if religious coping methods and denominational affiliation affected well-being; and a moderating regression analysis and ANOVA F-tests were used to determine overall and individual denominational effects in the relationship between religious coping and well-being. Overall there was no relationship between religious coping, well-being, and denominational affiliation. No relationship was found between positive religious coping methods and well-being, but negative coping methods were associated with lower well-being. Also, there was no relationship found between religious coping methods and well-being and well-being and denominational affiliation. | en |
