Interpersonal discrimination and relationship quality among married mid-life and older Black adults
Actor-partner interdependence model
Discrimination is a chronic source of stress among Black Americans. Little work has investigated how the consequences of discrimination may extend beyond the individual, affecting others in their social circle.
The project examines the impact of spousal discrimination on the quality of Black marriages, focusing on its implications for relational health.
Results reveal that discrimination experienced by the husband is associated with higher marital quality, according to both partners’ reports. Discrimination experienced by the wife is associated with greater marital quality as reported by the husband, but only marginally associated with the wife’s own report of marital quality.
Partner stress has direct implications for Black couples’ marital quality and the cost of racialized stress is particularly salient for Black women.