Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the use of religious songs in response to stressful life events among young African American adults. Fifty-five young African American adults aged 18–49 participated in a qualitative study involving criterion sampling and open-ended interviews. Data analysis included content analysis and descriptive statistics. Stressful life events were related to work or school; caregiving and death of a family member; and relationships. Religious songs represented five categories: Instructive, Communication with God, Thanksgiving and Praise, Memory of Forefathers, and Life after Death. The tradition of using religious songs in response to stressful life events continues among these young adults. Incorporating religious songs into health-promoting interventions might enhance their cultural relevance to this population.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blazer, D. G. (2007). Religious beliefs, practices and mental health outcomes: What is the research question? The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 15(4), 269–272. doi:10.1097/JGP.0b013e318034193a.
Bohlmeijer, E., Kramer, J., Smit, F., Onrust, S., & van Marwijk, H. (2009). The effects of integrative reminiscence on depressive symptomatology and mastery of older adults. Community Mental Health Journal, 45(6), 476–484. doi:10.1007/s10597-009-9246-z.
Burla, L., Knierim, B., Barth, J., Liewald, K., Duetz, M., & Abel, T. (2008). From text to codings: Intercoder reliability assessment in qualitative content analysis. Nursing Research, 57(2), 113–117. doi:10.1097/01.NNR.0000313482.33917.7d.
Cone, J. H. (2002). God of the oppressed. Maryknoll, NY: Orbits Books.
Cone, J. H. (2008). The spirituals and the blues. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.
Conner, K. O., Copeland, V. C., Grote, N. K., Rosen, D., Albert, S., McMurray, M. L., et al. (2010). Barriers to treatment and culturally endorsed coping strategies among depressed African-American older adults. Aging and Mental Health, 14(8), 971–983. doi:10.1080/13607863.2010.501061.
Darden, R. (2014). Nothing but love in God’s water: Black sacred music from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State Press.
Fingerman, K. L., VanderDrift, L. E., Dotterer, A. M., Birditt, K. S., & Zarit, S. H. (2011). Support to aging parents and grown children in Black and White families. Gerontologist, 51(4), 441–452. doi:10.1093/geront/gnq114.
Fortuna, L. R., Alegria, M., & Gao, S. (2010). Retention in depression treatment among ethnic and racial minority groups in the United States. Depression and Anxiety, 27(5), 485–494. doi:10.1002/da.20685.
Gillum, F., & Griffith, D. M. (2010). Prayer and spiritual practices for health reasons among American adults: The role of race and ethnicity. Journal of Religion and Health, 49(3), 283–295. doi:10.1007/s10943-009-9249-7.
Hamilton, J. B., Sandelowski, M., Moore, L. A., Agarwal, M., & Koenig, H. G. (2012). “You need a song to bring you through”: The use of religious songs to manage stressful life events. Gerontologist. doi:10.1093/geront/gns064.
Herald-Sun. (November 28, 2011). The Rev. Marcus Ingram’s sermon, The Herald-Sun.
Himelhoch, S., Mohr, D., Maxfield, J., Clayton, S., Weber, E., Medoff, D., et al. (2011). Feasibility of telephone-based cognitive behavioral therapy targeting major depression among urban dwelling African-American people with co-occurring HIV. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 16(2), 156–165. doi:10.1080/13548506.2010.534641.
Hsieh, H. F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277–1288. doi:10.1177/1049732305276687.
Jackson, J. A. (2004). Singing in my soul. Black gospel music in a secular age. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina University Press.
Jeste, D. V., Palmer, B. W., Rettew, D. C., & Boardman, S. (2015). Positive psychiatry: Its time has come. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 76(6), 675–683. doi:10.4088/JCP.14nr09599.
Jones, A. C. (1993). Wade in the water. The wisdom of the spirituals. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.
Koenig, H. G. (2009). Research on religion, spirituality, and mental health: A review. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 54(5), 283–291.
Koenig, H. G., Berk, L. S., Daher, N. S., Pearce, M. J., Bellinger, D. L., Robins, C. J., et al. (2014). Religious involvement is associated with greater purpose, optimism, generosity and gratitude in persons with major depression and chronic medical illness. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 77(2), 135–143. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.05.002.
Koenig, H. G., King, D. E., & Carson, V. B. (2012). Handbook of religion and health. NY: Oxford University Press.
Lawson, E. J., & Thomas, C. (2007). Wading in the waters: Spirituality and older black Katrina survivors. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 18(2), 341–354. doi:10.1353/hpu.2007.0039.
Liu, L. L., & Lau, A. S. (2013). Teaching about race/ethnicity and racism matters: An examination of how perceived ethnic racial socialization processes are associated with depression symptoms. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 19(4), 383–394. doi:10.1037/a0033447.
Mastropieri, B., Schussel, L., Forbes, D., & Miller, L. (2015). Inner resources for survival: Integrating interpersonal psychotherapy with spiritual visualization with homeless youth. Journal of Religion and Health, 54(3), 903–921. doi:10.1007/s10943-015-0044-3.
Matthews, D. G. (1977). Religion in the old south. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Mitchell, J., & Weatherly, D. (2000). Beyond church attendance: Religiosity and mental health among rural older adults. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 15(1), 37–54.
Neblett, E. W, Jr., Hudson Banks, K., Cooper, S. M., & Smalls-Glover, C. (2013). Racial identity mediates the association between ethnic-racial socialization and depressive symptoms. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 19(2), 200–207. doi:10.1037/a0032205.
Pew Forum. (2016). A religious portrait of African-Americans. Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/
Pinn, A. B. (1999). Why Lord? Suffering and evil in Black theology. New York: Continuum.
Raboteau, A. J. (1978). Slave religion. The “invisible institution” in the antebellum south. New York: Oxford University Press.
Raboteau, A. J. (1995). A fire in the bones: Reflections on African-American religious history. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
Raboteau, A. J. (2001). Canaan land. New York: Oxford University Press.
Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (Eds.). (2007). NKJV Study Bible (2nd ed.). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.
Reagon, B. J. (2001). If you don’t go don’t hinder me. The African American Sacred Song Tradition. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Reed, P. G. (1992). An emerging paradigm for the investigation of spirituality in nursing. Research in Nursing & Health, 15(5), 349–357.
Reese, A. M., Thorpe, R. J, Jr., Bell, C. N., Bowie, J. V., & Laveist, T. A. (2012). The effect of religious service attendance on race differences in depression: Findings from the EHDIC-SWB Study. Journal of Urban Health. doi:10.1007/s11524-011-9659-1.
Roll, L., Stegenga, K., Hendricks-Ferguson, V., Barnes, Y. J., Cherven, B., Docherty, S. L., et al. (2013). Engaging nurses in research for a randomized clinical trial of a behavioral health intervention. Nursing Research and Practice, 2013, 183984. doi:10.1155/2013/183984.
Saliers, D. G. (2007). Music and theology. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
Sandelowski, M. (2000). Whatever happened to qualitative description? Research in Nursing & Health, 23(4), 334–340.
Sandelowski, M. (2010). What’s in a name? Qualitative description revisited. Research in Nursing & Health, 33(1), 77–84. doi:10.1002/nur.20362.
Siegel, C., Haugland, G., Reid-Rose, L., & Hopper, K. (2011). Components of cultural competence in three mental health programs. Psychiatric Services, 62(6), 626–631. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.62.6.626.
Southern, E. (1997). The music of Black Americans: A history. (3rd ed.). New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
Street, W., Weed, D., & Spurlock, A. (2014). Use of music in the treatment of insomnia: A pilot study. Holistic Nursing Practice, 28(1), 38–42. doi:10.1097/hnp.0000000000000005.
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2012). Using multivariate statistics (6th ed.). New York: Harpercollins College Publishers.
Taylor, R. J., Chatters, L. M., & Levin, J. (2004). Religion in the lives of African Americans. Social, psychological, and heatlh perspectives. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication, Inc.
Thurman, H. (1996). Jesus and the disinherited. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
Turck, M. C. (2009). Freedom Song: Young voices and the struggle for civil rights. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, Inc.
Walker, W. T. (1979). Somebody’s calling my name. Black sacred music and social change. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press.
Walker, R. L., Salami, T. K., Carter, S. E., & Flowers, K. (2014). Perceived racism and suicide ideation: Mediating role of depression but moderating role of religiosity among African American adults. Suicide and Lifethreatening Behavior, 44(5), 548–559. doi:10.1111/sltb.12089.
Werner, P. D., Swope, A. J., & Heide, F. J. (2009). Ethnicity, music experience, and depression. Journal of Music Therapy, 46(4), 339–358.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Human and Animal Rights
This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.
Informed Consent
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hamilton, J.B., Stewart, J.M., Thompson, K. et al. Younger African American Adults’ Use of Religious Songs to Manage Stressful Life Events. J Relig Health 56, 329–344 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-016-0288-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-016-0288-6