Search

Surveyed African American and white fathers living with their young children and the children's mothers regarding variables associated with perceived paternal involvement in child care. Results indicated that ethnicity, gender role orientation, and perceived skill at child care related to higher levels of perceived paternal engagement in and responsibility for child care. Partner's work status related to perceived paternal responsibility. (SM)

Examined the relationship between black identity, Afrocentric values, and self-esteem among 161 Jamaican young adolescents age 8-13 years from 4 summer camps. Participant surveys indicated that Afrocentric values, black identity, and self-esteem were correlated for female adolescents but not for male adolescents. Self-esteem explained more of the variance in female black identity than did Afrocentric values. (SM)

Investigated whether stress and coping responses of African American youth were the result of violence exposure alone or an accumulation of stressors. Survey data indicated that violence experienced significantly predicted posttraumatic stress symptoms, but not preferred coping strategy. Life events, discrimination, violence exposure, neighborhood disadvantage, number of people in the home, and gender predicted variance in active coping. (SM)

Presents results of research concerning 102 female and 99 male African Americans that sought to verify parameters of African-American identity in physical, sociopolitical, cultural, and psychological identity. Psychological and cultural parameters tapped aspects of racial identification, while the other two factors lacked reliability and functioned differently than hypothesized. (JB)

This study examines the coping responses of individuals reporting experiences of racial/ethnic discrimination (N= 156). Racial/ethnic differences in contextual appraisals and coping strategies were reported in response to discrimination. African and Asian American participants reporting experiences of discrimination were more likely to perceive the situation as a challenge. African Americans reporting experiences of discrimination were more likely to report seeking support and guidance when compared to Asian and European Americans. Contextual appraisals did not predict the use of coping strategies in response to experiences of discrimination. Emotional discharge and past experiences of discrimination were positively associated with re-experiencing symptoms. Cognitive avoidance coping strategies were associated with avoidance symptoms. Clinical implications of the findings are explored.

The authors present the empirical characteristics of the Experience of Discrimination Scale (EDS) using baseline data from the Center for Mental Health Services funded, multisite Consumer Operated Services Project. Specific hypotheses focused on the influence of multiple identity status on reports of discrimination. Data indicated that discrimination caused by mental disability was associated with level of psychiatric symptoms and perceived social rejection as a result of mental illness, whereas discrimination for other reasons was associated with broader quality of life and social interaction indicators. The clinical and policy implications of findings are discussed.

Do you have a multicultural practice? Do you understand the attitudes and expectations African Americans hold about mental health services? The attitudes and beliefs of 201 African Americans regarding psychotherapists, psychotherapy, and barriers to treatment were explored by means of focus groups. Key barriers to service utilization included stigma, lack of knowledge, lack of affordability, lack of trust, impersonal service, and lack of cultural understanding. Participants reported that race should not matter in therapy, but they often believed that psychologists were insensitive to the African American experience. The implications of participants' reports for meeting African American mental health and therapy needs are considered.

This study explores the understanding of race and racial group categorization as potential factors associated with the construction of African American identity. Three hundred and nineteen African American adults were interviewed to determine the impact of group definition and term preference on racial identity salience and attitudes. Measures administered included a demographic questionnaire, a 29-item racial identification questionnaire, and a 5-item measure of racial identity salience. Additionally, three open-ended questions were posed that probed participant strategy for racial group categorization and preferred racial designation term. The basis for racial group categorization was associated with term preference and cultural racial identity, but not racial identity salience or other racial identity attitudes, and there was an association between term preference and racial identity salience. The implications of these findings are explored. This research was supported by a grant from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues., The Understanding of Race and the Construction of African American Identity Greenwald (1988) notes that identity development is a process by which an individual establishes a relationship with a reference [...]

In this commentary, we focus on violence against women of color. Although African American women experience higher rates of intimate partner homicide than White women, the cumulative rates for nonfatal intimate partner violence are similar and do not vary between urban and rural locations (though access to services may vary by location). Much of the research about intimate partner violence is based on women with low socioeconomic status and on interventions that were developed by and for White women. Current primary prevention strategies focus on violence that is perpetrated by strangers rather than their primary perpetrators--intimate partners. We recommend the development and rigorous evaluation of prevention strategies that incorporate the views of women of color and attention to primary prevention.

Issues concerning the relationship among self-esteem, racial identity, and Africentric values for Jamaican children are examined. Topics include the hypothesis that a positive correlation would exist among all three factors, and study results indicating that racial identity and self-esteem were positively correlated for female adolescents but not for males.

The impact of racism on African American personality, behavior, and health has been debated in the psychological literature. There has been little research however, on racism as a stressful life event. The goal of this study was to learn whether perceived racism produces symptoms of subjective distress noted in relationship to other stressful life events. In addition, this study sought to find whether racial identification mediated the psychological impact of perceived experiences of racism. Two hundred African American adults were surveyed. Participants completed a 30 item racial identification measure, a questionnaire that requested information on the experience of racism, and the Impact of Events scale. The results showed that one third of the participants reported a perceived experience of racism within six months of the interview. Mean scores for intrusion symptoms were higher as the seriousness of the reported event increased. While participants reported avoidance symptoms, there were no differences based on the seriousness of the racial incident. Racial identification did not mediate the impact of the experience of racism.

This paper examines the relative impact of two sources of sociocultural influence on racial identification. Using interviews with 225 African American adults (Thompson Sanders, 1994), the relative influence of within-group vs. intergroup interaction variables was assessed. The data were collected using a structured interview protocol and a 30-item racial identification questionnaire. Information on the level and quality of intragroup interaction, experiences with race relations, political activism, age, gender, income, education, and orientation on four parameters of racial identification - psychological, physical, cultural, and sociopolitical - was collected. The results suggest that within-group contact variables have a strong association with the psychological and physical parameters of racial identification. The extent and quality of intergroup interaction with non-African Americans were associated with the sociopolitical parameter. Cultural racial identification was largely determined by demographic variables. These data suggest a model of racial identification based on a complex set of within-group, intergroup, and demographic variables.

The socializing of most African American children can be identified with racial identity. Almost all African American parents are particular about telling their children to be proud of their race. Analysis of how race identify and race socialization are connected will explain the social and political scenario of the African American community.

Possible parameters for the measurement of how Afro-American identity originates are analyzed in comparison with the traditional unitary approach. Results show that, although psychological, cultural, sociopolitical and physical factors as racial identity parameters are partially proven to be valuable to this framework, the reliability estimates for such parameters are low. However, an empirical scale for measuring group esteem on its own is possible based on the sociopolitical factor.

This study examined life experience and demographic variables which impact on racial identification. One hundred and sixty-two African American adults, including 62 males and 100 females, were interviewed to Identify and determine the importance of demographic versus life experience variables with respect to the level of African American racial identification. The data were collected utilizing a structured interview protocol and a 31-item racial identification questionnaire. Information on experiences with race relations, income, education, political and social activities, the level and quality of intra-group interaction, and the Orientation of subjects on three parameters of racial identification--psychological, physical, and sociocultural--was collected. The results indicate that perceived experiences of racism have an important impact on each parameter of racial identification. Within-group conflict variables have their greatest impact on the physical parameter and within-group interaction has its greatest impact on psychological racial identification.

Engagement activities are defined along a continuum that analyzes and represents nonacademic stakeholder activities and interactions with academic researchers. Proposed continua begin with none to limited stakeholder inclusion and input into research and continue with descriptions of increasing presence, input, and participation in decision-making. Despite some agreement in the literature, development of consistent terminology and definitions has been recommended to promote the common understanding of strategies in engaged research. This paper sought to develop and understand classifications and definitions of community-engaged research that can serve as the foundation of a measure of engaged research that permits comparisons among engagement strategies and the outcomes that they produce in health- and healthcare-related research studies. Data on academic and stakeholder perceptions and understandings of classifications and definitions were obtained using Delphi process (N = 19) via online and face-to-face survey and cognitive response interviews (N = 16). Participants suggested the need for more nuanced understanding of engagement along portions of the continuum, with active involvement and decision-making as engagement progressed. Cognitive interview responses suggested that outreach and education is a more advanced level of engagement than previously discussed in the literature and viewed consultation negatively because it required work without guaranteeing community benefit. It is possible to define a continuum of patient- and community-engaged research that is understood and accepted by both academic researchers and community members. However, future research should revisit the understanding and depiction of the strategies that are to be used in measure development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]