The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between socioeconomic status, resilience, racial identity and the psychological health of African American men. The independent variables in this study were socioeconomic status, resilience, and racial identity. The dependent variable in this study was psychological health.
A sample of 105 African American men was surveyed using the Hollingshead Four Factor Index of Social Status (Hollingshead, 1975); the Resilience Scale (Wagnild & Young, 1993); the Black Racial Identity Attitudes Scale (Parham & Helms, 1981); and the Mental Health Index (Veit & Ware, 1983). Additional demographic data included asking participants to indicate: if they were born in the U.S.; whether they regularly attended church; if they lived with or near a close knit group of family and/or friends; whether they grew up in the Columbus area; and if they had a male role model while growing up.
A hierarchical regression analysis was used to analyze the data. The results of the regression analysis found that socioeconomic status accounts for 4.6% of the variance in psychological health. Resilience did not significantly account for any of the variance in psychological health, however, when racial identity was added to the regression, the model became significant. Supplemental analyses found that Pre-Encounter and Encounter racial identity ego statuses were significant predictors of psychological distress, and that the Internalization ego status and resilience were significantly correlated to psychological wellness. Additional analyses found that psychological distress was significantly correlated to men who live with or near a close knit group of family and/or friends. A factor analysis was also conducted on each of the measurement instruments used in this study. A parallel analysis and scree plot supported just one factor in a principal component analysis for the RS-25 scale. Due to a smaller sample size a parallel analysis was not conducted for the RIAS-B, however, a scree plot supported seven components for the scale. For the MHI, a parallel analysis and a scree plot supported two components in a principal components analysis.
Overall, some findings are consistent and supportive of the current literature regarding socioeconomic status, resilience, racial identity, and psychological health as they pertain to African American men. Other findings challenge the current research thus concluding that more in depth studies with variables used in this study and samples of African American men are a necessity. Discussion of the measurement instruments, data analysis procedures, implications for counseling and further research are presented.