Date of Award
Spring 5-23-2021
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Marriage and Family Therapy
Advisor(s)
Coolhart, Deborah
Keywords
African American, Mental Health, Parent-Child Closeness, Structural Violence
Subject Categories
Medicine and Health Sciences | Mental and Social Health | Psychiatric and Mental Health
Abstract
Poverty and negative neighborhood characteristics can be detrimental to the mental health wellbeing of Black people. Yet, there is a lack of understanding of how, why, and for whom such factors impact the mental of the Black community. Using a sample of 1654 Black families from the Fragile Family and Child Wellbeing Study I investigated two models. First, I examined the path from poverty to depression, anxiety, and tested Black cultural strengths, religiosity and neighborhood cohesion as moderators. Second, I examined the path from poverty to parent-child closeness and tested Black cultural strengths, social ties and extended family as moderators. Results from a structural equation path analysis model indicated that material deprivation and mediated of the relationship between poverty and depression/anxiety. Religiosity significantly buffered the effects of poverty on anxiety. Material deprivation and parenting stress were mediators of the relationship between poverty and the parent-child closeness. Extended family support was marginally significant in buffering the effects of poverty on the parent-child relationship for father primary caregivers. Clinical implications from these findings are discussed.
Access
Open Access
Recommended Citation
Hollie, Brandon Davis, "The Impact of Poverty and Neighborhood Characterstics on the Mental Health and Parent-Child Closeness in the Black Community: The Protective Role of Black Cultural Strengths" (2021). Dissertations - ALL. 1411.
https://surface.syr.edu/etd/1411
