Abstract
The role of stress on the perceived health of Black midlife couples with young adult children
Mia Brantley, PhD, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Department of Sociology & Anthropology, North Carolina State University
In the United States health status varies significantly by race and these differences underlie variation in rates of aging and of premature mortality. Differences by race in exposure to stress may drive some differences in health outcomes. This project will collect information regarding parents’ and children’s perceptions of stressors associated with children making the transition to adulthood. Because Black families face particular stresses related to parenting and are disproportionately affected by early mortality the project will focus on couples at midlife (approximately 40-65 years of age) and their children between the ages of 18 and 25. This study fits thematic areas of understanding the evolution of aging and health in different contexts and understanding how social productivity (defined here as parenting) is linked to health and contributes to cross-cutting themes of life course and intergenerational relationships. The study will examine the perceived exposure to chronic social concerns through family interviews (mother, father, and child), characterize the ways that social concerns for families – including a recognition of vicarious stress related to a partner’s or child’s experiences, impacts close others within the family unit, and identify the perceived health consequences shaped by the stress experiences, and how they differ across women and men and by life stage. This pilot project will provide valuable insight into our understandings of chronic stress and health, which will be critical in further developing survey tools to better capture these significant life experiences. Moreover, the project will pave the way for development of a K award on parenting and health at mid- and later life.