Differences by Sex and Ethnicity in the Psychosocial Adjustment of the Elderly

Elderly men and women from white, black, and Cuban groups were studied in terms of their psychosocial adjustment. Essentially no sex differences were found in overall adjustment. However, strong cultural differences were observed. Elderly blacks showed the best adjustment when social class and level of disability were held constant. Disability had more of an effect on level of adjustment than did social class in the sample studied. Cubans showed the most negative adjustment, most likely because of their cultural displacement from Cuba to the United States. The fact that many whites in the sample were also "displaced persons," having moved from other areas of the country to Miami when they retired, and the fact that most blacks were natives may account for the black elderly having the best overall adjustment.