Stress among Black women in a South African township: The protective role of religion

Communities that have been exposed to high levels of stress and where religiosity is salient are ideal contexts in which to examine the role of religion in stress processes. The present study examines the protective function of religiosity among Black women in a South African township. The women (N = 172) were interviewed about sources of stress, religiosity, depressive symptomatology, and physical health problems. The results revealed that engagement informal religion buffered the aggregate effects of multiple stressors (cumulative stress), as well as the effects of work stress and experiencing racism on physical health. Prayer also buffered the effects of work stress on physical health and reduced the deleterious effects of work stress and experiencing racism on depressive symptomatology.