Resilience and Coping: An Example in African American Adolescents

Authors

Michael Cunningham, Tulane University
Samantha Francois, Tulane UniversityFollow
Gabriel Rodriguez, Tulane University
Xzania White Lee, Tulane University

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The study addresses how African American adolescents are resilient when exposed to discrimination. We examine racial identity as a buffer between cumulative stressful events and aggression attitudes in 285 adolescents (M = 15.41, SD = 1.38). Boys report more general beliefs about aggression than girls. Girls with low racial identity are more vulnerable for general beliefs about aggression when exposed to greater negative youth experiences. However, boys with high racial identity have greater general beliefs about aggression as their negative youth experiences increase. Racial identity has a protective-enhancing buffering affect for adolescent girls and a protective-reactive effect for boys.

Publication Title

Research in Human Development

Publication Date

2018

Volume

15

Issue

3-4

First Page

317

Last Page

331

ISSN

1542-7609

DOI

10.1080/15427609.2018.1502547

Repository Citation

Cunningham, Michael; Francois, Samantha; Rodriguez, Gabriel; and Lee, Xzania White, "Resilience and Coping: An Example in African American Adolescents" (2018). Psychology. 915.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_psychology/915