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This study examines relationships among financial strain, unfair treatment, and martial satisfaction among African Americans. Using data from the National Survey of American Life, findings indicated that social stressors that occur inside of the home (i.e., financial strain) as well as those experienced outside of the home (i.e., unfair treatment) have negative consequences for marital quality and psychological distress. Furthermore, the combination of experiencing unfair treatment and financial strain has particularly deleterious mental health consequences for married African Americans. Results also highlight the protective effect of marital satisfaction on psychological distress as well as its potential to buffer the negative effects of unfair treatment and financial strain on psychological distress. Implications for policy to improve marital quality and promote the mental health of African Americans are discussed. (Contains 3 tables and 4 figures.)

This article investigates the extended family social support networks of Caribbean Black adults (Afro-Caribbeans). Although there are several ethnographic accounts of familial ties and support exchanges among Black Caribbean immigrants, only a handful of studies use quantitative data. This article uses data from the National Survey of American Life, which contains the first national probability sample of Caribbean Blacks in the United States. Age, gender, income, material hardship, and immigration status were all associated with at least one of the four indicators of family support networks. Subjective family closeness and frequency of family contact were significantly associated with both giving and receiving informal support. A significant age and parental status interaction for receiving support indicated that older adults without children received assistance from their extended families less frequently than older adults with children. Overall, study findings affirm the importance of extended family networks for Caribbean Black adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]