MODELS OF HELPING AND COPING - A TRANSGENERATIONAL THEORY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN TRADITIONAL HEALING

This is a summary of the main findings of a study that investigates if traditional folk healing beliefs and practices still exist among Afri can-Americans as helping and coping strategies, if so, what form they take, and how they ate communicated. A survey of 200 adults, located i n six states in the midwest and southern United States, resulted ill f inding that traditional folk healing beliefs and practices do exist as helping and coping strategies. Four factors were derived: spiritualit y, ritual/protection, power of words, and dreams, which define the for m of traditional folk healing. Results show significant gender differe nces on the spirituality scale. Women were significantly more likely t han men to support spiritual beliefs and practices associated with tra ditional folk healing. Findings of the study also suggest the family s ystem is one way that these beliefs and practices are communicated gen eration after generation, Specifically, women ill the family were iden tified as important communicators of folk traditions via storytelling. Moreover, there is evidence to support the influence of West African traditions on the form of African-American traditional healing.