How Discrimination Experiences Impact Prolonged Grief Disorder Symptoms in Bereaved Black and African Americans
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Abstract
Black and African American people experience bereavement more frequently and earlier in life than their White counterparts and thus may be more impacted by Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). However, relatively little research has been devoted to the specific risks and resiliencies affecting bereavement-related mental health outcomes among African Americans. Likewise, there is little research on the role of racial discrimination in shaping grief responses, which may add additional stress on Black and African American grievers. We use the Stress Process Model to understand how discrimination as a stressor affects social support and positive coping strategies to influence PGD severity. Respondents were invited to participate in a Qualtrics panel-based survey resulting in a sample of 259 grievers. Overall results showed a relationship between PGD symptoms and discrimination experiences. Specifically, Racial Stress (r =.23, p < .001) was related to PGD symptoms, and Institutional Racism (r = .33, p < .001) was the subscale showing the strongest relationship with PGD symptoms. Microaggression endorsement was related to PGD as well (r = .27, p < .001) with Exoticization and Assumptions of Similarity (r = .34, p < .001) being the subscale most related to PGD symptoms. In other words, Black grievers reported the most distress when they experienced prejudice perpetrated by social institutions and were stereotyped by others. We did not find a relationship between either social support or coping strategy. We discuss clinical implications and study limitations.
Table of Contents
Introduction -- review of the literature -- Methodology -- Results -- Discussion -- Appendix A. Demographics -- Appendix B.. Life Events Checklist -- Appendix C. Index of Race-related Stress -- Appendix D. Racial and Ethnic Microaggressions Scale-45 -- Appendix E. Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support -- Appendix F. Brief Resilient Coping Scale -- Appendix G. Prolonged Grief Disorder-13 --Appendix H. Patient Health Questionnaire -- Appendix I. PTSD Checklist-5
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Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)