Perspectives of Stress and Coping among Older, College-Educated African American Women

<p>Older African American women have excess rates of stress-associated chronic diseases. Yet, there is limited research exploring the intersectional position of older African American women to identify within-group differences in stress experiences. Specifically, stress and coping among college-educated women in later life has been largely overlooked. As trends show increasing rates of African American women attaining higher education, research investigating stress and coping among this group of high socio-economic status women is a valuable contribution to aging and public health. This study employed constructivist grounded theory methods guided by the Intersectional Life Course Perspective and the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping to investigate the unique stressors and coping strategies utilized by older (ages 65+), college-educated African American women. A total of sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted. Women were recruited using diverse strategies including snowball sampling and posting flyers in areas that might serve older African American women (local libraries, parks). Interviews focused on questions that elicited the women’s perceived stress and identifying coping strategies used to buffer stress and protect wellbeing. Data analysis procedures involved open and focused coding, analytical memo writing, and diagramming. Findings illuminate the unique social position of older, college-educated African American women. Four primary types of stressors were reported: (1) gendered racism, (2) interpersonal relationship stress, specifically stress related to intimate partners and romantic relationships, family caregiving responsibilities, and family well-being stress, (3) aging-related stress, and (4) financial strain and threats of downward mobility. Women described diverse coping strategies to buffer stress. Primary coping strategies used include (1) sisterhood (i.e. friendships), (2) religion and spirituality, (3) community care, (4) self-care, and (5) self-numbing strategies involving emotional eating, alcohol consumption, and smoking. A Spirit of Survival emerged as the core category that underpins how women appraise stress, experience stress, and respond to stress. Results reveal a working grounded theory model of stress and coping among college-educated, older African American women. Findings provide novel contributions for understanding stress and coping among college-educated African American women that centers older adulthood and life course perspectives, which has not widely explored in aging research. Findings provide evidence that can support the development of more holistic stress-reduction interventions that integrate and center the unique stressors impacting well-educated older African American women, as well as the unique coping strategies they use, and the resources and values they utilize to buffer stress.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Social Work

Year dc:date.available

2024

Author dc:creator

• Coats, Jacquelyn Victoria

Contributors dc:contributor

• Vetta Sanders Thompson

• African American women;college;intersectionality;life course;middle-class;stress
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Social Work

Statement dc:rights

• I have not registered my thesis with the U.S. Copyright Office, and do not intend to.

Language dc:language

English (en)

Identifier

https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/brown_etds/30

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:openscholarship.wustl.edu:brown_etds-1029