Demographic Correlates of Psychological Well-Being and Distress among Older African Americans and Caribbean Black Adults

This study examines the demographic correlates of psychological distress and psychological well-being among older African American and black Caribbean adults. Analysis of the National Survey of American Life revealed that psychological well-being and psychological distress are distinct concepts. Findings also identify distinct correlates of psychological well-being (e.g., happiness, life satisfaction, self-rated mental health) and psychological distress (e.g., depressive symptoms, serious psychological distress) across and within racial and ethnic groups. Findings demonstrate the heterogeneity within the older black American population and provide a rare detailed examination of the differences between the correlates of psychological well-being and psychological distress among older adults. Practice implications highlight the need for targeted interventions that more precisely identify groups at elevated risk for poor mental health and lower psychological well-being, increased research focusing on within-group differences, and attention to the impact of immigration on social work training and interventions with individuals, families, and communities.