Ethnicity and life event cognitive appraisals and experiences

This study compared the cognitive appraisals and incident ratings of urban American Indians (N = 50), Anglo-Americans (N = 50), and Hispanics (N = 47) on a revised version of the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS). Results indicated no overall significant differences among the three ethnic groups. However, on comparison of individual life events items, the groups differed significantly on the cognitive appraisal of 8 items and on the incidence of 10 items. Of these items, only 2 overlapped between cognitive appraisals and actual incidence. Results are discussed in terms of potential use of the revised SRRS with these ethnic groups in future research on the relationship between life events and physical and psychological disorders.