Racial identity and cultural mistrust among African-American recipients of rehabilitation services: an exploratory study.

Abstract

Empirical evidence of how cultural and/or sociopolitical forces may impact the world view of an ethnic minority with a disability is integral to improving our understanding of the complex interplay among client characteristics, agency variables, societal factors and rehabilitation success. The purpose of this study was to investigate if there is a difference in the level of racial identity and cultural mistrust for African-Americans closed successfully and those closed unsuccessfully by a state/federal rehabilitation agency. Significant differences in one of four key racial identity levels were found between the two groups F(1,140) = 4.58, p < 0.05. However no significant differences on cultural mistrust were found between the two groups. There was a moderate positive correlation found between age and one of the levels of racial identity (r = -0.5947, p < 0.05) and a moderate negative (inverse) relationship between age and another level of racial identity (r = -0.5545, p < 0.05). Theoretical and service implications of the findings are discussed.