Does Race Moderate Social Support and Psychological Distress Among Rural Older Adults?

• Published in: Clinical gerontologist Vol. 38; no. 5; pp. 412 - 427
• Main Authors: Hyams, Adriana V., Wayde, Ernest N., Crowther, Martha R., Scogin, Forrest R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Routledge 20-10-2015; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: African Americans; Age differences; Emotional support; Health status; older adults; Older people; Psychological distress; Race; Racial differences; rural; Rural communities; Social support
• ISSN: 0731-7115; 1545-2301
• DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2015.1067272

Greater social support is associated with decreased psychological distress among older adults. Researchers have found racial differences in psychological distress. Might race moderate social support and psychological distress? The authors hypothesized African American collectivistic values could increase the importance of social support. Participants were rural adults aged 60 and older (N = 100). Multiple regression analyses controlled for health, income, education, and sex. Race moderated satisfaction with social support and psychological distress. However, greater satisfaction predicted less psychological distress among Caucasians while it was not associated with African Americans' distress in this sample. Achieving satisfaction with social support may be particularly important for Caucasians receiving therapy. Interventions may also address strategies to improve physical health, emotional support, and quality of social support, which significantly predicted psychological distress for both groups.