Family stressors, such as an argument with a spouse or a parent’s illness, are embedded in the larger social context of African Americans’ lives. After adjusting for socioeconomic status, African Americans are also at elevated risk for disease, have lower wealth compared to European Americans, and are more likely than European Americans to face financial worries and be exposed to issues with neighborhood safety (Mujahid et al., 2011; Williams, 2002; Williams & Mohammed, 2009). Chronic stressor exposure represents a risk factor that increases the likelihood of encountering daily hassles (Ong, Fuller-Rowell, & Burrow, 2009). African Americans also report lower marital satisfaction, more frequent marital disagreements, and a greater emphasis on parental authority (Broman, 2005; Bulanda & Brown, 2007; Smetana & Chuang, 2001). Further, African Americans’ family networks seem to create a contagion of stress, where other family members are also experiencing their own chronic strains that generate additional stressors (Everett, Hall, & Hamilton-Mason, 2010). The nature of African Americans’ family ties and racial disparities in health and income may create a context for family tensions to arise while increasing African
