Cultural orientation, ego resilience, and optimism as predictors of subjective well-being in African Americans

Abstract

This study tested a portion of a model proposed by Constantine and Sue (2006) that examined whether certain attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors thought to be consistent with the cultural orientation and worldview of African Americans (i.e., religiosity, racial pride, and time orientation), would predict ego resilience, optimism, and subjective well-being in a sample of African American college students (N  = 215). Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis that cultural orientation would predict ego resilience, optimism, and subjective well-being in the current sample of African American college students. Religiosity and racial pride positively predicted psychological functioning and well-being. Present time orientation, however, negatively predicted psychological functioning and well-being. Implications of the study's findings are discussed in the context of future research and clinical interventions.

Keywords:

• cultural orientation
• positive psychology
• subjective well-being
• African Americans