K. Jill Kiecolt

Secondary Analysis of Survey Data

Introduction Locating Appropriate Data Making Effective Use of Existing Survey Data Conclusion

A Methodological Review of the Sex Ratio: Alternatives for Comparative Research.

In this paper we examine conceptual methodological and practical issues associated with measuring the sex ratio in comparative research. We give particular attention to measuring sex ratios for the black population. Census data are used to develop empirical measures for U.S. metropolitan areas and nonmetropolitan areas of Louisiana.... The impact of the sex ratio on community-level variation in marriage patterns and family formation for the black population is addressed. (EXCERPT)

Stress and the Decision to Change Oneself: A Theoretical Model

This paper presents a model, drawn from research on stress and on self and identity, of the decision to change oneself. In this model, the impetus for intentional self-change can be provided by a stressor-chronic role strain, a life event, or both. Stressors can implicate the self by generating unfavorable reflected appraisals, threatening competent identity performance, and generating unfavorable social comparisons. Any of these effects can reduce self-efficacy, self-esteem, and sense of authenticity, thus leading to psychological distress. Whether this impetus will lead to a resolve to change oneself is hypothesized to depend on six conditioning factors: 1) the identity-relevance of the stressor, 2) whether one attributes responsibility for a stressor to oneself, 3) awareness of and access to structural supports for self-change, 4) the belief that one can effect self-change, 5) the extent to which the benefits of changing are perceived to outweigh the costs, 6) social support for self-change.

Mate Availability and Family Structure among African Americans in U.S. Metropolitan Areas.

Census and vital statistics data for U.S. metropolitan areas in 1980 were analyzed to investigate the effects of mate availability mens and womens levels of socioeconomic status and employment level of public assistance population size and region on several aspects of family formation and family structure among African Americans. As predicted by theory mate availability as measured by the sex ratio had a positive effect on marriage prevalence for women and a negative effect on marriage prevalence for men....Mens socioeconomic status had positive effects on mens and womens marriage prevalence the prevalence of husband-wife families the percentage of children residing in husband-wife families and the percentage of marital births. Womens socioeconomic status and level of public assistance had negative effects on these variables. We conclude that mate availability mens socioeconomic status womens status and economic independence are important determinants of African American family formation and family structure. (EXCERPT)

Anger in Black and White: Race, Alienation, and Anger.

Using data from the 1996 General Social Survey and the 1973 Chicago Crowding Study, we test the hypotheses that African Americans feel and express more anger than whites, that sense of control (versus powerlessness) lessens anger and mistrust increases anger, and that these indicators of alienation affect anger differently for African Americans and whites. We find that when age and gender are controlled, African Americans neither feel nor express more anger than whites, despite having a lower average sense of control and higher mistrust. This is partly because the effects of sense of control and mistrust on anger differ by race. Sense of control reduces feelings of anger and anger expression more for African Americans than whites. Mistrust increases feelings of anger for whites, but not African Americans. The results provide further evidence that, in the stress process, social structural location may moderate the effects of “detriments” and “resources” on emotional upset.

The Long-Term Effects of Family Structure on Gender-Role Attitudes.

Using data from the 1972-1986 General Social Surveys this study investigates whether family structure during adolescence has long-term effects on adult gender-role attitudes. Hypotheses are that 1) adults from intact families those from reconstitued families and those who lived only with their mother would have progressively less traditional gender-role attitudes: 2) adults whose families were disrupted by divorce would have less traditional attitudes than those disrupted by fathers death; and 3) children of employed mothers would have less traditional attitudes than children of nonemployed mothers. Findings are that family structure only selectively affects gender-role attitudes. Adults who as adolescents lived in a single-parent household headed by a divorced mother favor greater political power for women. Adults from intact and nonintact families however hold essentially similar views concerning traditional gender-role behavior. Maternal employment liberalizes womens but not mens gender-role attitudes. (authors)

Racial Identity and Well-Being among African Americans

How racial identity influences self-esteem and psychological well-being among African Americans remains unresolved due to unexplained inconsistencies in theoretical predictions and empirical findings. Using data from the National Survey of American Life (N = 3,570), we tested hypotheses derived from social identity theory and the internalized racism perspective. Findings support social identity theory in showing that African Americans strongly identify with their group and view it very positively. In addition, those who identify more with their group and evaluate it more positively have greater self-esteem, greater mastery, and fewer depressive symptoms. However, findings also support the internalized racism perspective by showing that when group evaluation is relatively negative, racial identification is related to lower mastery and higher depressive symptoms. We conclude that both social identity theory and the internalized racism perspective are necessary for understanding how racial identity is related to self-attitudes and mental health among African Americans.

CAN A HIGH SENSE OF CONTROL AND JOHN HENRYISM BE BAD FOR MENTAL HEALTH

Social stratification profoundly affects mental health. Specifically, substantial empirical evidence finds that higher status promotes mental health via a higher sense of control and a propensity to cope actively with problems. An unresolved issue, though, is whether the effects of sense of control and active coping on mental health are uniformly beneficial across levels of socioeconomic status. Perceived control and John Henryism, an active coping style, may undermine mental health, especially for lower-status persons, who lack resources. Using data from the National Comorbidity Survey for African Americans, Hispanics, and whites, we find that both sense of control and John Henryism tend to be monotonically related to positive mental health regardless of socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity.

Social class and wilderness use

Abstract Using social class and social inequality theories and concepts, we reexamine previous studies of recreation participation in designated wilderness. We suggest that members of the semiautonomous class—highly educated professional‐technical and craft employees who have limited control over what work they do but a great deal of control over how they do it (Wright, 1978)—appropriated wilderness and continue to dominate wilderness use. We propose an explanation of how and why this occurred.

How Racial Identity Moderates the Impact of Financial Stress on Mental Health among African Americans

Financial stress, which is common among African Americans, has been linked to higher psychological distress. This study examines whether racial identity moderates the association of financial stress with depressive symptoms. If so, through what mechanisms does it operate? We investigated these questions in a moderated mediation analysis, using data from the National Survey of American Life (N = 3,570). Of the two racial identity dimensions examined, positive group evaluation but not closeness to other African Americans was associated with less adverse effects of financial stress on depressive symptoms. In addition, we tested two mechanisms that could explain the buffering effect. Psychological resources (self-esteem and, less consistently, mastery), explained 26% to 46% of the buffering effects of racial identity; family support explained 8%. That is, positive group evaluations fortify African Americans in the face of hard times. They do so primarily through their association with a greater sense of self-worth.