Linking Perceived Discrimination to Longitudinal Changes in African American Mothers’ Parenting Practices |
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| Authors: | Gene H. Brody Yi‐Fu Chen Steven M. Kogan Velma McBride Murry Patricia Logan Zupei Luo |
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| Affiliation: | 1. University of Georgia;2. University of Georgia *;3. Now at the Department of Psychological Services, Muscogee County School District, 1200 Bradley Drive, Columbus, GA 31901.;4. University of Georgia **;5. Now at State Farm Insurance Companies, One State Farm Plaza, Bloomington, IL 61710‐0001. |
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| Abstract: | This longitudinal study was designed to test hypotheses, derived from a stress proliferation framework, regarding the association between perceived racial discrimination and changes in parenting among African American mothers in the rural South. A sample of 139 mothers and their children were interviewed 3 times at 1‐year intervals. Mothers reported on perceived discrimination and two proliferated stressors: stress‐related health problems and depressive symptoms. Both mothers and children reported on mothers’ competence‐promoting parenting. Structural equation modeling revealed a chain‐like sequence: Perceived discrimination forecast increases in mothers’ stress‐related health problems, which in turn were positively associated with depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms constituted the proximal variable associated with decreases in mothers’ competence‐promoting parenting. These results emerged independent of socioeconomic characteristics. |
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| Keywords: | African Americans Depression Health Mothers Parent‐child relations Stress |
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