The correlation between self-esteem, friendship and communalism on psychological stress in African American adults

Expanding upon the current literature on perceived psychological stress, this quantitative study examined the correlation between self-esteem, friendship and communalism on perceived psychological stress in African American adults. Using Conservation of Resource theory (Hobfoll, 2001) as its conceptual framework, the current investigation sought to answer one broad question: to what extent are personal and social resources associated with perceived psychological stress for African American adults? To answer this question, five hypotheses were developed to test whether the personal resource of self-esteem and the social resources of friendship and communalism would negatively predict perceived psychological stress. It was predicted that because resources augment one another, self-esteem would moderate the relationship between the social resources of interest to this study and perceived psychological stress. A convenience sample of African Americans (N = 149) from Georgia, Michigan, New York and Washington D.C. participated in this study. Findings indicated a significant positive relationship between quantity of close female friends and perceived psychological stress. Self-esteem, friendship quality, and communalism did not predict perceived psychological stress. The personal resource of self-esteem did not moderate the relationship between the social resources of friendship quality, friendship quantity, and communalism and perceived psychological stress in this sample of African American adults. The findings suggest a need to develop research studies that would continue to examine the resources that assist African Americans with perceived psychological stress. Implications for theory, research, and counseling were discussed.