Jacqueline S. Mattis

Religion and spirituality in the meaning-making and coping experiences of African American women: A qualitative analysis

This qualitative study examines the ways in which African American women use religion/spirituality to cope and to construct meaning in times of adversity. Content analysis of the narratives of a sample of African American women respondents (n = 23) revealed a set of eight nonoverlapping themes that explicate religiosity/spiritualitys role in meaning-making and coping. Findings suggest that religion/spirituality help women to (1) interrogate and accept reality, (2) gain the insight and courage needed to engage in spiritual surrender, (3) confront and transcend limitations, (4) identify and grapple with existential questions and life lessons, (5) recognize purpose and destiny, (6) define character and act within subjectively meaningful moral principles, (7) achieve growth, and (8) trust in the viability of transcendent sources of knowledge and communication. Narrative examples are used to elucidate each theme. Findings point to the importance of relationships and intimacy in the meaning-making enterprise. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

African American Women’s Definitions of Spirituality and Religiosity:

These two qualitative studies explore the meanings of spirituality for African American women and the distinctions that women make between spirituality and religiosity. In Study 1, content analyses of women’s (N = 128) written narratives reveal 13 categories of meaning that are assigned to spirituality. In Study 2, indepth interviews with a subsample of women (N = 21) reveal three key differences between religiosity and spirituality. First, whereas religiosity is associated with organized worship, spirituality is defined as the internalization of positive values. Second, religion is conceptualized as a path and spirituality as an outcome. Finally, whereas religion is tied to worship, spirituality is associated with relationships.

Subjective Religiosity among African Americans: A Synthesis of Findings from Five National Samples:

Demographic correlates of subjective religiosity are examined using data from five large national probability samples (i.e., Americans Changing Lives, n = 3,617; General Social Survey, n = 26,265; Monitoring the Future, n = 16,843; National Black Election Survey, n = 1,151; and National Survey of Black Americans, n = 2,107). In analyses of data involving both Black and White respondents, race emerges as a strong and consistent predictor of various indicators of subjective religiosity with Black Americans, indicating that they had significantly higher levels of subjective religiosity than Whites. Analyses using African American respondents only indicate that subjective religious involvement varies systematically by gender, age, region, and marital status. The findings are discussed in relation to research on religious participation among African Americans and future research and theory concerning the meaning of religion within discrete subgroups of this population.

The Pond You Fish In Determines the Fish You Catch Exploring Strategies for Qualitative Data Collection

Qualitative research has increased in popularity among social scientists. While substantial attention has been given to various methods of qualitative analysis, there is a need to focus on strategies for collecting diverse forms of qualitative data. In this article, the authors discuss four sources of qualitative data: participant observation, interviews, physical data, and electronic data. Although counseling psychology researchers often use interviewing, participant observation and physical and electronic data are also beneficial ways of collecting qualitative data that have been underutilized.

Ecological Predictors of Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Caucasian and Ethnic Minority Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

Traumatic stress symptoms were assessed for 218 children ages 5 to 13 following exposure to intimate partner violence: 33% of Caucasian and 17% of minority children were diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. A risk and protective factors model was used to predict traumatic stress symptoms. For Caucasian children, the best predictors were mothers’ mental health and low self-esteem. For minority children, the amount of violence, mothers’ low self-esteem, and low income predicted traumatic stress. Social support to the mother, inclusive of friends, relatives, and religion, was a protective element. Implications for assessment and intervention are discussed in light of each group’s experiences.

The Importance of Cultural Competence in Ministering to African American Victims of Domestic Violence

This article describes an ecophenomenological model of domestic violence that helps to conceptualize the ways in which various contextual factors inform the experiences of African American victims of partner violence. The implications of this model for the culturally competent treatment of African American victims of partner abuse are discussed, as is the issue of violence as an outgrowth of an African American male entitlement dysfunction. The article also examines culturally grounded messages that contribute to the development of attitudes that promote violence against African American women. In addition, the article explores the patients own relational life as a site of meaning making and sustained healing. Finally, the article considers the therapeutic alliance as a source of healing.

Religiosity, volunteerism, and community involvement among African American men: An exploratory analysis

Social activists have argued that African American men must play a prominent role as volunteers in social programs that affect the African American community. Using a sample of African American men (N= 171), the present study examines the relative utility of social capital, communalism, and religiosity variables as predictors of volunteerism, membership in community-based as well as political and social justice organizations, and the number of hours that men dedicate to volunteer work each year. Church involvement was associated with a greater likelihood to volunteer and a greater likelihood to be a member of a community-based organization. Men who scored higher on communalism, and men who were more involved in church life dedicated more time to volunteer work each year. A complex pattern of relationship emerged between age, education, and the various participation outcomes. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Religiosity, Optimism, and Pessimism Among African Americans

It generally is accepted that religiosity is associated with increased optimism and decreased pessimism. However, the empirical link between religiosity and optimistic and pessimistic expectancy outcomes remains underexamined. This study explored the association between early and current organizational religiosity, subjective religiosity and spirituality, positive and negative perceived relationship with God, and dispositional optimism and pessimism among a sample of African Americans (N = 307). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that age, subjective spirituality, and a positive relationship with God were positive, independent predictors of optimism. Education, combined household income, and subjective spirituality negatively predicted pessimism. Negative relationship with God was a positive predictor of pessimism. Subjective religiosity and early and current organizational religious involvement did not predict optimism or pessimism. The significance of these findings is discussed.

Ethnography in counseling psychology research: Possibilities for application

The emphasis placed on prolonged engagement, fieldwork, and participant observation has prevented wide-scale use of ethnography in counseling psychology. This article provides a discussion of ethnography in terms of definition, process, and potential ethical dilemmas. The authors propose that ethnographically informed methods can enhance counseling psychology research conducted with multicultural communities and provide better avenues toward a contextual understanding of diversity as it relates to professional inquiry. Ethnography constitutes a major focus in the psychological literature; however, debates continue regarding the usage of these qualitative methods (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000a). Despite the fact that ethnographic methods fall within the purview of postpositivism and constructivism–interpretivism frameworks, positivists, postpositivists, and postmodernists currently argue over the definition of ethnography and criteria for evaluating ethnographic work. This article seeks to explore the meanings and manifestations of ethnography, as well as the utility of these methods for counseling psychology. We begin with definitions of ethnography. Next, we delineate the various types of ethnography used in contemporary social science research. Third, we explore concrete strategies for conducting ethnographic research. Ethical concerns and practices to establish validity and trustworthiness are also highlighted. Finally, we provide a discussion of challenges and recommendations for future directions in the use of ethnographic methods in counseling psychology.

Religiosity, racism, and dispositional optimism among African Americans

Abstract The present study explored the relationship between social support, everyday racism, religiosity, spirituality, and dispositional optimism among a sample of African American men and women ( n =149). Social support emerged as a marginally significant predictor of optimism. Encounters with everyday racism negatively predicted dispositional optimism. Religiosity and spirituality variables were not uniform in their relationship to optimism. Church attendance, early religious involvement, church involvement, and subjective religiosity were not associated with optimism scores. Subjective spirituality, and relationship with God were positively related to optimism. However, the perception that one has a supportive and loving relationship with God was the sole religiosity variable that emerged as a predictor of optimism. The significance and implications of these findings are discussed.