Table 2.
Key attributes of the analyzed MIDUS-based Black/African-American panel (n = 163, data collection periods = 1995–‘96 and 2004–‘06), versus African-Americans in the NSAL (n = 3570, data collection period = 2001–‘03).
| MIDUS Black/African-American Panel | NSAL African-American Subsample | |
|---|---|---|
| Major Discrimination: The average of 9 indicators common across both datasets tapping lifetime exposure - one or more experiences coded 1 for each item | 3.06 (wave 1) 3.03 (wave 2) |
1.33 |
| Everyday Discrimination: The average across 9 common Likert-scaled items. Response options in the NSAL are the same ones utilized for this comparison: 1 = never, 2 = rarely, 3 = sometimes, and 4 = often. Six response options accompany the original MIDUS items: 1 = never, 2 = < once annually, 3 = a few times annually, 4 = a few times monthly, 5 = once or > weekly, and 6 = ~ every day. To facilitate the present comparison, categories 3&4 are collapsed into option number “3” and treated as equivalent to the NSAL items’ “3 = sometimes” category; and 5 & 6 are collapsed into an option “4” that is treated as = to the NSAL items’ “4 = often” | 2.12 (wave 1) 1.95 (wave 2) |
1.83 |
| Distress: The average across the 6 identically worded and Likert-scaled items appearing in both datasets querying symptoms in the preceding 30 days, i.e., how often R felt … “sad,” “nervous,” “restless,” “hopeless,” “everything was an effort,” and “worthless.” Response options: 1 = none of the time … 5 = all the time | 1.55 (wave 1) 1.66 (wave 2) |
1.64 |
| MDD: % experiencing this disorder in preceding year (using MIDUS/NSAL personnel-constructed dichotomous indicators) | 9.8% (wave 1) 9.8% (wave 2) |
6.6% |
| GAD: % experiencing this disorder in preceding year (using MIDUS/NSAL personnel-constructed dichotomous indicators) | 3.1% (wave 1) 3.1% (wave 2) |
2.5% |
| Average Education Level: 12 response options accompany the MIDUS measures: =1 no school/some grade school, 2 = eighth grade/junior high; 3 = some high school; 4 = GED; 5 = HS grad., 6 = 1–2 years of college; 7 = 3 or> years of college; 8 = 2-yr Assoc. degree/Voc. school diploma; 9 = BA; 10 = some grad school; 11 = MA; 12 = Ph.D., MD, etc. In the NSAL, education = actual years of schooling (17 = 17 or >) | 6.33 (wave 1) * Roughly equal to ~13 years 6.61 (wave 2) * Roughly equal to ~14 years |
12.32 |