1. Predictors of Psychological Well-Being in Inner-City Women: Examining Trajectories of Resistance, Resilience, and Distress
- Author
-
Lamoureux, Brittain E.
- Subjects
- Behavioral Psychology, Behavioral Sciences, Behaviorial Sciences, Clinical Psychology, Psychology, resilience, inner-city women, trauma, resources, trajectories, stress
- Abstract
Women living in the inner-city may face a variety of chronic stressors, including poverty, ethnic minority status, and poor access to education, and are more likely to have experienced childhood abuse and sexual abuse in adulthood. These chronic stressors and traumatic experiences magnify the challenges of negotiating daily life and exacerbate acute stressors such as resource loss and social conflict. All of these factors contribute to an increased risk of psychological distress among inner-city women, yet a significant portion of these women are able to cope and experience little distress. Women with stronger personal (self-efficacy, self-esteem) and social (social support) resources may better withstand both chronic and acute stress. The present study endeavored to shed light on potential mechanisms through which these chronic and acute stressors, as well as personal resiliency resources, influence the psychological well-being of inner-city women over time. A sample of 374 women was recruited from two obstetrics and gynecological clinics serving primarily low-income, inner-city populations. Four trajectories of psychological well-being (resistance, resilience, chronic distress, and delayed distress) were created using posttraumatic stress and depressive symptom data from the initial interview and 12-month follow-up. Binary logistic regressions were conducted to investigate the ability of acute stressors and personal and social resources to differentiate women who are experiencing little or no distress from those that are not coping as well. Hypotheses were partially supported, with resource loss emerging as a robust predictor of psychological resilience across analyses.
- Published
- 2011