This Too Shall Pass: Evidence of Coping and Fading Emotion in African Americans' Memories of Violent and Nonviolent Death. (September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Henderson, Dawn X.; Bond, Gary D.; Alderson, Courtney J.; Walker, W. Richard
• Is Part Of: Omega. Volume 71:Number 4(2015)
• Page Start: 291
• Page End: 311
• Publication Date: 2015-09
• Subjects: African American -- coping -- death -- fading affect bias -- resilience; Death -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Bereavement -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Death -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Suicide -- Periodicals; 306.9
• DOI: 10.1177/0030222815572601
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0030-2228

Abstract

Two studies examined African Americans essays on coping with violent and nonviolent death and fading affect bias. Essays from 101 African Americans were coded for psychological resolution (resolved or unresolved) and for type of death (violent or nonviolent). Linguistic analyses were used to examine the experience of loss and coping methods. Religious coping was important for nonviolent death events while social support and emotion (e.g., crying) were themes that emerged for violent death events. For unresolved violent death events, dissociation was a common theme. The perceived change in the emotional intensity of the events was examined and revealed that the negative emotion showed evidence of substantial fading. Overall, these results suggest religious coping, social support and sharing enhance coping among African American participants. These processes can help negative affect associated with death events fade, allowing for psychological resolution, healing, and resilience.