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Ruben MA, Stosic MD. Documenting Race and Gender Biases in Pain Assessment and a Novel Intervention Designed to Reduce Biases. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024:104550. [PMID: 38692397 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Disparities in pain care are well-documented such that women and people of color have their pain undertreated and underestimated compared to men and White people. One of the contributors of the undertreatment of pain for people of color and women may be the inaccurate assessment of pain. Understanding the pain assessment process is an important step in evaluating the magnitude of and intervening on pain disparities in care. In the current work, we focus on documenting intersectional race and gender biases in pain assessment and present the results of a novel intervention for reducing these biases. Across 3 studies (N = 532) and a mini meta-analysis using real videotaped people in pain as stimuli, we demonstrate that observers disproportionately underestimated women of color's pain compared to all other groups (men of color, White women, and White men). In study 3 (N = 232), we show that a novel intervention focused on behavioral skill building (ie, practice and immediate feedback) significantly reduced observers' pain assessment biases toward marginalized groups compared to all other types of trainings (raising awareness of societal biases, raising awareness of self-biases, and a control condition). While it is an open question as to how long this type of intervention lasts, behavioral skills building around assessing marginalized people's pain more accurately is a promising training tool for health care professionals. PERSPECTIVE: This article demonstrates the underestimation of pain among people of color and women. We also found support that a novel intervention reduced observers' pain assessment biases toward marginalized groups. This could be used in medical education or clinical care to reduce intersectional pain care disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mollie A Ruben
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island.
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Payen A, Bateman JR, Persin MJ, Bennett JM. Biopsychosocial contexts influence adult cognitive function concurrently and longitudinally. Brain Behav Immun Health 2024; 36:100732. [PMID: 38371382 PMCID: PMC10873657 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Cognitive aging is a complex process that impacts human behavior. Identifying the factors that preserve cognitive functioning is a public health priority, given that 20% of the US population will be at least 65 years old in the next decade. Biopsychosocial determinants of cognitive decline across the lifespan are often examined as ecological factors that independently moderate cognitive aging, despite the known complexity surrounding these relationships. Objective We aimed to address this gap by exploring the synergistic and simultaneous relationship between risk and protective factors on cognitive functioning. Method Using the MIDUS study datasets, we examined the relationships among physiological markers, friendship quality, and global cognition functioning, concurrently and longitudinally over ten years. Our participants included 929 healthy (417 men, 512 women) adults (average age at Time 1: 54.6 ± 11.6 years). Exploratory analyses examining the effects of racial minority status were also conducted. Results Cross-sectionally, age, and friendship quality moderated the relationship between vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vm-HRV) and cognition such that younger adults with greater friendship quality had a negative relationship between vm-HRV and cognitive performance; our unexpected finding suggests the heart-brain relationship is sensitive to the biopsychosocial environment. Longitudinally, higher IL-6 levels at Time 1 predicted poorer cognitive performance a decade later, but only among those with greater levels of friendship quality, especially for white-identifying individuals. Conclusions The relationships among physiological risk factors, social protective factors and cognitive functioning appear to be temporally different during mid-adulthood. Given many of the whole sample findings were not replicated within the racial minority subgroup, we suggest that these relationships should be examined in a larger and more diverse racial minority sample to determine whether this study lacked the power necessary to detect a relationship or if the relationships are in fact different by racial minority sub-group. In addition, future research should overcome the study's reliance on healthy adults and self-report measures of friendship quality by including adults with pre-existing cognitive impairments, and employing more real-time measures of friendship quality, such as daily diary or ecological momentary assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameanté Payen
- Health Psychology PhD Program, UNC Charlotte, United States
| | - James R. Bateman
- Department of Neurology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, United States
- Alzhiemer's Disease Research Center, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, United States
| | | | - Jeanette M. Bennett
- Health Psychology PhD Program, UNC Charlotte, United States
- Department of Psychological Science, UNC Charlotte, United States
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Lambert SF, Saleem FT, Liu C, Rose T. Ethnic-Racial Socialization, Teacher Discrimination, and Black Youth's School Engagement and Achievement. PREVENTION SCIENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR PREVENTION RESEARCH 2024; 25:56-67. [PMID: 37284932 PMCID: PMC11126456 DOI: 10.1007/s11121-023-01551-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Ethnic-racial socialization is one strategy Black parents use to support their children's school engagement and academic achievement given the occurrence and toxic effects of discrimination. Egalitarianism and preparation for bias socialization messages have yielded mixed evidence of promotive and protective effects for Black youth's school outcomes, and effects may vary according to ethnicity. Thus, this research examined associations between ethnic-racial socialization messages and school engagement and achievement, and whether these messages protected against teacher discrimination effects on academic achievement transmitted through school engagement, among a nationally representative sample of Black adolescents who participated in the National Survey of American Life Adolescent supplement study. Ethnic-racial socialization message content and the frequency of communication about race demonstrated different associations with engagement (i.e., school bonding, aspiration-expectation discrepancy, and disciplinary actions) and achievement (i.e., grades) for African American and Caribbean Black youth. However, the benefits were not sufficient to combat the adverse effects of teacher discrimination on school engagement and, in turn, achievement. These findings highlight the utility of integrating ethnic-racial socialization into prevention programs to support Black youth's school experiences; demonstrate the importance of attention to heterogeneity within Black youth; and underscore the critical need for prevention programs to address teacher discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon F Lambert
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The George Washington University, 2013 H Street NW, Washington, DC, 20006, USA.
| | - Farzana T Saleem
- Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, USA
| | - Theda Rose
- School of Social Work, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, USA
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Lee KA, Smith ME, Bright CL. Alcohol Use and Physical Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Black Men: The Moderating Effect of Interpersonal Social Support. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2023; 38:8542-8562. [PMID: 36866577 DOI: 10.1177/08862605231156252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Studies have consistently shown an association between alcohol use in adulthood and intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration. Yet, no known studies have examined this relationship when considering social support as a potential moderator with a sample of Black men. To address this gap in knowledge, we examined the moderating role of interpersonal social support on alcohol use in adulthood and physical IPV perpetration among Black men. Data for 1,127 Black men were obtained from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Condition (NESARC, Wave 2). Descriptive and logistic regression models were run with weighted data using STATA 16.0. Results from logistic regression analyses revealed that alcohol use in adulthood significantly predicted IPV perpetration (odds ratio [OR] = 1.18, p < .001). Interpersonal social support significantly moderated (OR = 1.01, p = .002) the relationship between alcohol use and IPV perpetration among Black men. Additionally, age, income, and perceived stress were significantly associated with IPV perpetration among Black men. Our study findings highlight the role of alcohol use and social support in exacerbating IPV perpetration among Black men, and the need for culturally responsive interventions to address these public health concerns throughout the life course.
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Mobolaji JW, Akinyemi AI. Complementary support in later life: investigating the gender disparities in patterns and determinants among older adults in South-Western Nigeria. BMC Geriatr 2022; 22:704. [PMID: 36002807 PMCID: PMC9404572 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-022-03393-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Old-age needs are multifaceted and require multiple support sources, yet caregiving roles for older Nigerians are largely shifted to adult children. However, the children also declining capacity to respond. The extent to which older adults access support from other sources remains under-researched. This study investigates the patterns and determinants of access to complementary supports among older adults in South-Western Nigeria, taking Oyo State as the case study. The study is cross-sectional and utilized primary data of 827 older adults aged ≥ 65 years selected using a multi-stage sampling design. Box plot was used to determine the patterns while multiple ordinary least square regression was used to predict the determinants of access to complementary support. Expressed in percentage, the median complementary support score of older adults in Oyo State was 30 (interquartile range [IQR] = 24) with a slightly higher score for men (median = 32, IQR = 24) compared to women (median = 28, IQR = 20). Access to complementary support was lower for the widow(er)s, the lower socioeconomic group and self-dependent older adults across genders, and for urban women with secondary/higher education compared to the otherwise groups. Increased access to complementary support was significantly associated with primary/no education (β = 4.365; p < 0.01 95% C.I. = 1.511–7.218), affiliation to Islamic/Traditional religion (β = 5.100; p < 0.001; 95% C.I. = 3.000–7.200), rich wealth status (β = 3.315; p < 0.05; 95% C.I. = 0.667–5.963) and depending on both self and children/family for income (β = 5.510; p < 0.05; 95% C.I. = 1.710–9.309) with some gender disparities. However, reduced complementary support was associated with ages 80 years or over (β = -3.649; p < 0.05; 95% C.I. = -6.460 – -0.838) and widowhood (β = -6.285; p < 0.001; 95% C.I. = -8.556 – -4.015). The study suggests the need for welfare plans among professional, social, and religious groups, institutionalised social support systems, and community engagement to escalate welfare support for older adults. It also recommends intensified attention on the more vulnerable groups, especially the widows, childless and lower socioeconomic groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Wale Mobolaji
- Department of Demography and Social Statistics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
| | - Akanni Ibukun Akinyemi
- Department of Demography and Social Statistics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
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Confronting Racism in All Forms of Pain Research: Reframing Study Designs. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2022; 23:893-912. [PMID: 35296390 PMCID: PMC9472383 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
This second paper in a 3-part series on antiracism in pain research across the translational spectrum focuses on study design factors. Although objectivity is a cornerstone value of science, subjectivity is embedded in every step of the research process as investigators make choices about who they collaborate with, which research questions they ask, how they recruit participants, which research tools they use, and how they analyze and interpret data. We present theory and evidence from disciplines such as sociology, medical anthropology, statistics, and public health to discuss 4 common study design factors, including 1) the dominant biomedical narrative of pain that restricts funding and exploration of social indicators of pain, 2) low diversity and inclusion in pain research enrollment that restricts generalizability to racialized groups, 3) the use of "race" or "ethnicity" as a statistical variable and proxy for lived experiences (eg, racism, resilience), and 4) limited modeling in preclinical research for the impact of social factors on pain physiology. The information presented in this article is intended to start conversations across stakeholders in the pain field to explore how we can come together to adopt antiracism practices in our work at large to achieve equity for racialized groups. PERSPECTIVE: This is the second paper in a 3-part series on antiracism in pain research. This part identifies common study design factors that risk hindering progress toward pain care equity. We suggest reframes using an antiracism framework for these factors to encourage all pain investigators to collectively make strides toward equity.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES African Americans experience relatively low rates of mental disorder despite being disproportionately exposed to psychosocial stressors. Coping is an understudied area that may help explain the mental health resilience among this population. METHODS Using data from the National Survey of American Life, I use negative binomial logistic regression to investigate the relationships between stress exposure/appraisal, ten coping responses, and mental health among older African American adults. RESULTS Seven of 10 coping responses were predictive of psychological distress. I also found evidence of moderation for six responses. Active coping, instrumental social support, looking for something good in what has happened, and two measures of acceptance were protective against psychological distress associated with high levels of stress. Substance use generally exacerbated the association between stress and psychological distress. DISCUSSION Problem-focused coping and acceptance responses were effective coping strategies for older African Americans under high levels of stress exposure/appraisal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawne M Mouzon
- Department of Sociology Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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Hubbard SA, Lakey B, Jones SCT, Cage JL. Black Racial Identity, Perceived Support, and Mental Health Within Dyadic Relationships. JOURNAL OF BLACK PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/00957984221079209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Black racial identity (BRI), particularly centrality and private regard, have been linked to mental health and are often theorized to reflect trait-like and situational influences. We estimated the strength of trait and dyadic relationships (a type of situation) for BRI and its links to subclinical anxiety and depression. Black university students ( N = 110) rated their BRI, mental health, and perceived support when with or thinking about three relationship partners (e.g., mothers, friends). Variance components analyses estimated the strength of trait and dyadic effects. All constructs had significant trait and dyadic components. Participants with higher trait private regard and centrality reported better mental health than those with lower BRI. Additionally, BRI varied depending upon which partner was rated (dyadic effects). When a participant experienced high private regard or centrality with a partner, the participant had low subclinical depression and anxiety in that relationship. When a participant had high BRI and mental health when with a partner, the participant saw the partner as highly supportive. Findings suggest the importance of supportive others for adaptive BRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sultan A. Hubbard
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Brian Lakey
- Department of Psychology, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, USA
| | - Shawn C. T. Jones
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jamie L. Cage
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
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Carden KD, McDuffie DL, Murry K, Bui C, Allen RS. Minority stress process among older Black Americans: the role of age, perceived discrimination, and anxiety. Aging Ment Health 2022; 26:852-859. [PMID: 33836631 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2021.1904380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Prolonged experiences of discrimination can be a major source of physical and health-related stress, particularly in older Black Americans. However, there is limited information on the relation between discrimination and anxiety, particularly within the context of other constructs that influence the manifestation of anxiety symptoms. For example, several studies have suggested that ethnic identification may provide psychological and social resources to deal with the effects of discrimination. This study aims to further understand these processes.Method: This study utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine predictors of anxiety symptom severity in a sample of African American and Afro-Caribbean adults aged 55 and older from the National Survey of American Life (N = 1,032).Results: The final structural regression model revealed acceptable fit indices, and was successful in measuring latent anxiety symptom severity, showing that more experienced discrimination was related to higher anxiety and anxiety was directly related to mental health rating. While higher experience of discrimination was associated with higher anxiety, it was not directly related to mental health rating. However, contrary to expectation, ethnic identification did not serve as a protective factor between experienced discrimination and anxiety. As individuals aged, they experienced less discrimination and reported poorer self-rated mental health.Conclusions: While age served as a protective factor for perceived discrimination and anxiety symptom severity, ethnic identification did not. Implications for those working to reduce anxiety symptoms among Black Americans are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisha D Carden
- Alabama Research Institute on Aging, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA.,Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA.,Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Danielle L McDuffie
- Alabama Research Institute on Aging, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA.,Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Kaleb Murry
- Alabama Research Institute on Aging, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA.,Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Chuong Bui
- Alabama Life Research Institute, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
| | - Rebecca S Allen
- Alabama Research Institute on Aging, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA.,Department of Psychology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA
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Nguyen AW, Wang F, Qin W, Hamler TC. The Role of Church Support Networks in the Relationship between Discrimination and Psychiatric Disorders among Older African Americans. REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS RESEARCH 2022; 64:35-54. [PMID: 35757388 PMCID: PMC9223494 DOI: 10.1007/s13644-021-00464-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few studies have examined the effects of discrimination on mental health specifically among older African Americans despite it being a common experience in this population. Further, knowledge on social resources, such as social relationships, that could mitigate the effects of discrimination is limited in this population. Given the historical and contemporaneous importance of the Black church in African American communities, church members are important support network members and a major source of social support for older African Americans. PURPOSE To address these knowledge gaps, this study will (1) examine the association between racial discrimination and psychiatric disorders; and (2) determine whether church relationships moderate the impact of racial discrimination on psychiatric disorders. METHODS Data from African American respondents aged 55 and older were drawn from the National Survey of American Life (N = 837). Church relationship variables included receipt of emotional support from, frequency of contact with, and subjective closeness to church members. Regression analyses were used to test the study aims. RESULTS Analyses indicated that more frequent experiences of racial discrimination were associated with meeting criteria for any DSM-IV disorder and a greater number of DSM-IV disorders. Significant interactions revealed that frequency of contact with and subjective closeness to church members mitigated the association between discrimination and meeting criteria for any 12-month disorder and number of 12-month disorders. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Altogether, these findings support the literature on the detrimental effects of discrimination on the mental health of older African Americans and provide a more nuanced understanding of the role of church members in the lives of older African Americans. The study findings suggest that church relationships are effective stress coping resources for older African Americans dealing with discrimination. Given the importance and relevance of church members, initial clinical assessments should assess clients' level of religious involvement and relationships with church members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann W Nguyen
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
| | - Fei Wang
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
| | - Weidi Qin
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
| | - Tyrone C Hamler
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
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Augustine DA, Koss KJ, Smith EP, Kogan SM. The influence of family cohesion on self-regulation and anxiety problems among African American emerging adults. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261687. [PMID: 35061736 PMCID: PMC8782322 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although African Americans have lower rates of anxiety in childhood than other racial and ethnic minority groups, they seem to experience escalating rates during emerging adulthood. Despite this, few studies have examined factors associated with anxiety during emerging adulthood among African American populations. The current study investigated the extent to which late adolescent family relationships affect anxiety problems among African American emerging adults. Informed by family development theory, family cohesion was hypothesized to indirectly effect anxiety problems through self-regulation. This model was tested with three waves of data (ages 17, 19, 21) from African Americans participating in the Maryland Adolescent Development in Context Study. Study findings were consistent with the hypothesized model: family cohesion forecasted decreased anxiety problems, indirectly, via increased self-regulation. This finding suggests that families may be an important promotive process for anxiety problems during emerging adulthood. Prevention programs that target family processes may be able to reduce anxiety problems in emerging adult African Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle A. Augustine
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Kalsea J. Koss
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Emilie P. Smith
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Steven M. Kogan
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
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Taylor RJ, Chatters LM, Cross CJ. Taking Diversity Seriously: Within-Group Heterogeneity in African American Extended Family Support Networks. JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY 2021; 83:1349-1372. [PMID: 34711997 PMCID: PMC8547778 DOI: 10.1111/jomf.12783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study examined the correlates of involvement in extended family social support networks among African Americans. BACKGROUND Previous literature has documented the importance of informal social support from extended family members for the African American population. Most research has investigated black-white differences in network involvement or has focused on impoverished African American families. Both approaches conceal important within-group variation in participation among the total African American population. METHOD This study relied on nationally representative data from the African American sub-sample of the National Survey of American Life (n=3,538). It employed ordinary least squares regression analysis to examine the sociodemographic and family factors that are associated with four key measures of involvement in extended family support networks: receiving and providing extended family support, frequency of family contact, and degree of subjective closeness. RESULTS African Americans routinely interacted with members of their family, displayed a high degree of family closeness, and exchanged support fairly frequently. Findings also revealed significant variation in network involvement by sociodemographic characteristics: women, younger adults, and Southerners were typically most involved; individuals who experienced greater material hardship, were previously incarcerated, or served in the military reported less involvement. Results also showed that family closeness and family contact were particularly salient factors shaping the extent to which network members engaged in support exchanges. CONCLUSION The magnitude of within-group heterogeneity in network involvement underscores the importance of considering issues of intragroup diversity in the developing literature on African American extended family networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Joseph Taylor
- School of Social Work, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 1080 S. University St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Linda M Chatters
- School of Public Health, School of Social Work, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Christina J Cross
- Department of Sociology, Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland St., Cambridge, MA 02138
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Jacobs M, Burch AE. Anxiety during the Pandemic: Racial and ethnic differences in the trajectory of fear. J Affect Disord 2021; 292:58-66. [PMID: 34102549 PMCID: PMC8777064 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In addition to the threat of serious illness, COVID-19 brought abrupt changes in lifestyle resulting in widespread fear among many Americans. This study examines the evolution of anxiety over the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, testing for differential experiences among vulnerable populations. METHODS Phase 1 of the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey details the frequency of anxiety among a nationally representative sample of adults from April 23, 2020 through July 21, 2020. Negative binomial regression assessed differences in the frequency of anxiety among demographic, income, health and employment status cohorts. Propensity score matching to the 2019 National Health Interview Survey allowed previous anxiety and health status to be included in the model. RESULTS Anxiety frequency for 944,719 individuals was observed over three months. Whites, blacks and Hispanics showed increasing frequency of anxiety over the time period, particularly blacks. Prior to COVID-19, 13% of respondents reported regular or semiregular anxiety, compared to 25-35% during the pandemic. Regression analysis suggests that frequent anxiety was highly and positively correlated with COVID-19 case fatality rate and higher levels of frequency were observed among those with poor health, incomes below $25,000, and without paid employment. LIMITATIONS Causal inference was not able to be investigated due to the cross-sectional study design. CONCLUSIONS While blacks showed lower levels of anxiety initially, the proportion of the population experiencing regular anxiety increased nearly 20% over the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. This rapid increase in anxiety could be due to inequity in health and economic outcomes among blacks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly Jacobs
- Department of Health Services and Information Management, East Carolina University, North Carolina, USA.
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Rose T, Hope MO, Powell TW, Chan V. A very present help: The role of religious support for Black adolescent girls' mental well-being. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 49:1267-1281. [PMID: 33997987 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This study explored religious emotional support as a mediator of the association between organized religious involvement (ORI) and mental well-being among African American and Caribbean Black girls. Data are drawn from a nationally representative survey of Black adolescents. The sample was composed of African American (n = 412) and Caribbean Black (n = 165) girls, aged 13-17. Structural equation modeling tested direct and indirect effects of ORI on mental well-being, through religious emotional support. For African American girls, ORI was not directly related to any of the mental well-being outcomes. Religious emotional support mediated the association between ORI and self-esteem, mastery, and life satisfaction. For Caribbean Black girls, ORI was negatively associated with mastery and life satisfaction. Religious emotional support mediated the association between ORI and life satisfaction. Results suggest that the well-being benefits of ORI for Black girls only remain significant in the presence of religious emotional support and are different for ethnic subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theda Rose
- School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Meredith O Hope
- National Center for Institutional Diversity, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Terrinieka W Powell
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Victoria Chan
- School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Abstract
The purpose of the current article is to explore familial factors that influence the development of social anxiety disorder (SAD) in children and adolescents, including parenting, sibling relationships, and family environment. A multitude of interrelated genetic and familial factors have been found to cause and maintain SAD in children and adolescents. There are many challenges in diagnosing and treating the disorder. Knowledge and awareness of familial factors provide insight on targeted treatments that prevent or ameliorate SAD. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 59(7), 23-34.].
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Mitchell UA, Nguyen AW, McBryde-Redzovic A, Brown LL. "What Doesn't Kill You, Makes You Stronger": Psychosocial Resources and the Mental Health of Black Older Adults. ANNUAL REVIEW OF GERONTOLOGY & GERIATRICS 2021; 41:269-302. [PMID: 36311274 PMCID: PMC9614571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A robust body of research has shown that Black Americans are less likely than Whites to have psychiatric disorders despite the social and economic disadvantage and systemic racism that they face. This mental health paradox has been demonstrated across all ages of the life course, including older adulthood. One of the prevailing explanations for the lower prevalence of psychiatric disorders among Blacks pertains to the influence of psychosocial resources on mental health. Psychosocial resources can directly or indirectly support mental health through physiological and psychological pathways. They can also mitigate the adverse effects of social stressors of discrimination and other stressors on psychological distress and mental illness. Black older adults may particularly benefit from psychosocial resources because they have had a lifetime of experiencing and overcoming adversity. Although this cycle of stress adaptation can wear away at the physical body, it may facilitate mental health resilience. In this chapter, we review research on the relationship between psychosocial resources and mental health. The chapter begins with a brief review of the Black-White mental health paradox and the mechanisms through which psychosocial resources operate to influence mental health. We then review research on intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community-level psychosocial resources that are particularly salient for Black Americans. Throughout the chapter we highlight research specifically focused on Black older adults and discuss the cultural relevance of each resource to their mental health and psychological functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ann W Nguyen
- Case Western Reserve University, Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
| | | | - Lauren L Brown
- San Diego State University, College of Health and Human Services, School of Public Health
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Antonietti C, Camerini AL, Marciano L. The impact of self-esteem, family and peer cohesion on social appearance anxiety in adolescence: examination of the mediating role of coping. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE AND YOUTH 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2020.1858888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Antonietti
- Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, USI Università della Svizzera italiana , Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Linda Camerini
- Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, USI Università della Svizzera italiana , Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Laura Marciano
- Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, USI Università della Svizzera italiana , Lugano, Switzerland
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Goldstein E, Benton SF, Barrett B. Health Risk Behaviors and Resilience Among Low-Income, Black Primary Care Patients: Qualitative Findings From a Trauma-Informed Primary Care Intervention Study. FAMILY & COMMUNITY HEALTH 2020; 43:187-199. [PMID: 32324650 PMCID: PMC7988480 DOI: 10.1097/fch.0000000000000260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
This study describes an intervention with low-income, Black primary care patients and their experience in changing a health risk behavior. Participant themes, including behavioral coping, personal values, accomplishments and strengths, barriers and strategies, and social support, are understood in relationship to health behavior theories. Two structured interviews were conducted 1 month apart. Content analysis was used to analyze responses from 40 participants. Participants were well equipped with resilience-based coping, self-efficacies, and informal social networks despite economic and social disadvantages. Findings from this study have the potential to improve behavioral health coping and reduce racial inequities in health prevalent for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Goldstein
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison
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Mitchell UA, Gutierrez-Kapheim M, Nguyen AW, Al-Amin N. Hopelessness Among Middle-Aged and Older Blacks: The Negative Impact of Discrimination and Protecting Power of Social and Religious Resources. Innov Aging 2020; 4:igaa044. [PMID: 33241123 PMCID: PMC7679998 DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igaa044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives Hopelessness—a state of despair characterized by a negative outlook towards the future and a belief in insurmountable challenges—is a risk factor for major depression, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality among older adults. It is also an understudied consequence of discrimination. Older blacks disproportionately report experiencing discrimination and, as a result, may be at greater risk of feeling hopeless. However, social and religious resources may protect against the adverse effects of discrimination. The current study examines whether social support, social engagement, religious attendance, and religiosity buffer the effects of self-reported everyday discrimination on hopelessness among a nationally representative sample of blacks. Research Design and Methods Using data from the 2010/2012 psychosocial assessment of the Health and Retirement Study, we regressed hopelessness on everyday discrimination, stratifying by 2 age groups, ages 51–64, representing middle-age (n = 1,302), and age 65 and older, representing old age (n = 887). Interaction terms tested whether each resource moderated the discrimination–hopelessness relationship controlling for depressive symptoms, socioeconomic status, and demographic characteristics. Results Greater reports of everyday discrimination were associated with higher levels of hopelessness for middle-aged and older blacks. For middle-aged blacks, the resources did not moderate the discrimination–hopelessness relationship; rather, higher levels of support (b = −0.294, p < .01), religiosity (b = −0.297, p < .001), religious attendance (b = −0.218, p < .05) were independently and inversely associated with hopelessness. For older blacks, higher levels of religiosity moderated the discrimination–hopelessness relationship (b = −0.208, p < .05) and higher levels of support (b = −0.304, p < .05) and social engagement (b = −0.236, p < .05) were independently and inversely associated with hopelessness. Discussion and Implications Findings suggest that self-reported everyday discrimination increases hopelessness among middle-aged and older blacks but social and religious resources may counterbalance its effects, in age-specific ways, to protect against hopelessness. Religiosity may be especially important for older blacks as a buffer against the negative consequences of discrimination on hopelessness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uchechi A Mitchell
- Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago
| | | | - Ann W Nguyen
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Nadia Al-Amin
- Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago
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Qin W, Nguyen AW, Mouzon DM, Hamler TC, Wang F. Social Support, Everyday Discrimination, and Depressive Symptoms Among Older African Americans: A Longitudinal Study. Innov Aging 2020; 4:igaa032. [PMID: 32995567 PMCID: PMC7508349 DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igaa032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives The purpose of the study was to explore the long-term effects of everyday discrimination on depressive symptoms among older African Americans, as well as the moderating role of social support in this association. Research Design and Methods Mixed-effects negative binomial regression analyses were performed on data selected from 6 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2016; baseline N = 1,144). The number of depressive symptoms was calculated based on an 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression measure. Everyday discrimination was measured using a 6-item scale. Contact with and perceived support from extended family and friends were assessed. Results Older African Americans who experienced more frequent perceived discrimination had more depressive symptoms over time. Significant interactions between discrimination and perceived support from extended family and friends were found, indicating that among older African Americans who reported higher support from extended family and friends, perceived discrimination was positively associated with depressive symptoms over time. However, perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms were not longitudinally related among those who reported lower levels of perceived support. Discussion and Implications This is one of the few studies to examine the effects of discrimination on depressive symptoms over time and the first longitudinal study to test the role of social support in coping with discrimination in older African Americans. This study extends cross-sectional works on discrimination and mental health, indicating that experiences of discrimination can result in worse mental health over time. The significant interactions are consistent with the resource mobilization framework, which suggests that individuals who are more negatively affected by discrimination (more depressive symptoms) are more likely to reach out to friends and family to cope with discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weidi Qin
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Ann W Nguyen
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Dawne M Mouzon
- Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick
| | - Tyrone C Hamler
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Fei Wang
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
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Katz B, Turney I, Lee JH, Amini R, Ajrouch K, Antonucci T. Race/Ethnic Differences in Social Resources as Cognitive Risk and Protective Factors. RESEARCH IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT 2020; 17:57-77. [PMID: 34093091 DOI: 10.1080/15427609.2020.1743809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Overall social network size, often the sum of common lifetime relationships, including children, family, and friends, has been linked to cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's Disease. However, little research has examined the association between network size composition and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults in the context of race/ethnicity. We investigated the associations between the number of close children, family, and friends independently with executive function (EF) and memory across a subsample of non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White participants who completed the Health and Retirement Study Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (N = 2,395). We found that network size composition was more closely linked to EF than memory and that these associations varied by race/ethnicity. Specifically, the strongest associations existed between EF and quadratic estimates of the number of close children of non-Hispanic Black participants, and number of close family members for Hispanic participants. Among Black participants, a curvilinear relationship indicated that two close children were associated with greater EF, while a smaller or larger number of close children were associated with lower EF. On the other hand, among Hispanic participants, higher EF was associated with fewer (0-1) and greater (4-5+) numbers of family member contacts. Overall, these results indicate that examining children, family, and friends independently may be more useful than the common practice of aggregation of overall network size, especially in the context of race/ethnicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Katz
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA,USA
| | - Indira Turney
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ji Hyun Lee
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Reza Amini
- Department of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Michigan-Flint, Flint, MI, USA
| | - Kristine Ajrouch
- Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI, USA
| | - Toni Antonucci
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Ren Y, Li M. Influence of physical exercise on social anxiety of left-behind children in rural areas in China: The mediator and moderator role of perceived social support. J Affect Disord 2020; 266:223-229. [PMID: 32056881 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE to explore the influence of physical exercise on social anxiety of left-behind children in rural areas, and to verify the mediator and moderator role of perceived social support. METHODS 797 rural left-behind children were studied with physical exercise rating scale, social anxiety scale and perceived social support assessment scale. The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated between physical exercise and social anxiety, and regression and structural equation models were used to check whether perceived social support played a mediator and moderator role or not. RESULTS the effect of physical exercise on social anxiety of left-behind children in rural areas is significant (P < 0.01); exercise time, exercise intensity and exercise frequency have significant effects on social anxiety; perceived social support has significant effects on social anxiety (P < 0.01); family support, friend support and other support have significant negative effects on social anxiety. Regression analysis shows that the dimensions of perceived social support (family support, friend support and other support) have some mediator effects in explaining social anxiety in sports. Perceived social support plays a moderator role in the relationship between physical exercise and social anxiety. CONCLUSIONS The results suggests the impact of perceived social support on left-behind children in rural areas. Specifically, perceived social support has a positive impact on the level of social anxiety and a positive impact on physical exercise. It is suggested that attention should be paid to social support of rural left-behind children in the process of mental health education and school physical education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Ren
- Physical Education Institute, Hunan First Normal University, Changsha 410205, China
| | - Menglong Li
- Physical Education Institute, Hunan First Normal University, Changsha 410205, China.
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Patterns of Social Connectedness and Psychosocial Wellbeing among African American and Caribbean Black Adolescents. J Youth Adolesc 2020; 48:2271-2291. [PMID: 31587176 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-019-01135-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Adolescents are connected to multiple and interrelated settings (e.g., family, school), which interact to influence their development. Using the National Survey of American Life-Adolescent (NSAL-A), a nationally representative cross-sectional survey, this study examined patterns of social connection and Black adolescents' wellbeing and whether social connection-wellbeing links differed by ethnicity and gender. The sample included 1170 Black adolescents ages 13-17 (69% African American, 31% Caribbean Black, 52% female, mean age 15). Latent profile analysis was used to identify profiles of adolescent connections across family, peer, school, religion, and neighborhood settings. Four profiles of social connection emerged: unconnected, minimal connection, high family connection, and well-connected. The profiles differed in life satisfaction, self-esteem, mastery, coping, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. The well-connected profile, characterized by connection to all five settings, had significantly higher life satisfaction, self-esteem, mastery, and coping, and lower perceived stress compared to the unconnected and minimal connection profiles and lower depressive symptoms than the unconnected profile. The well-connected profile also had better self-esteem and coping compared to the high family connection profile. The youth in the unconnected profile had significantly lower self-esteem and mastery and significantly higher depressive symptoms than the minimally connected youth. Moderation analyses showed no differences by ethnicity. However, differences by gender were observed for the association between connectedness and life satisfaction. The results support the critical need to examine connectedness across multiple settings and within group heterogeneity among Black youth to develop strategies to promote their psychosocial wellbeing.
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Nguyen AW, Walton QL, Thomas C, Mouzon DM, Taylor HO. Social support from friends and depression among African Americans: The moderating influence of education. J Affect Disord 2019; 253:1-7. [PMID: 31005738 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This cross-sectional study examined the association between various characteristics of friendships and 12-month major depressive disorder (MDD) and whether these associations vary by education level among African Americans. METHODS The analytic sample included 3434 African American respondents drawn from the National Survey of American Life: Coping with Stress in the 21st Century. Logistic regression analyses were performed to test the associations between friendship characteristics (i.e., frequency of contact, subjective closeness, receipt of support, provision of support) and 12-month MDD. Interaction terms between education and each of the four friendship variables were used to test whether these associations varied by education level. Analyses adjusted for sociodemographic factors and chronic health problems. RESULTS Frequency of contact and subjective closeness were negatively associated with 12-month MDD. An interaction between education and contact indicated that contact was negatively associated with MDD among high education respondents but unrelated to MDD among low education respondents. The interactions between education and receipt of support and education and provision of support demonstrated that receipt and provision of support were negatively associated with MDD among high education respondents but was positively associated with MDD among low education respondents. LIMITATIONS Given the cross-sectional design, it is not possible to make causal inferences. CONCLUSION This investigation provides an important first step to understanding within-group differences in how social relationships function as both a risk and protective factor for MDD among African Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann W Nguyen
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106.
| | - Quenette L Walton
- University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, Houston, TX 77204
| | - Courtney Thomas
- UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Dawne M Mouzon
- Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy and Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
| | - Harry Owen Taylor
- Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710
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Nguyen AW, Chatters LM, Taylor RJ, Aranda MP, Lincoln KD, Thomas CS. Discrimination, Serious Psychological Distress, and Church-Based Emotional Support Among African American Men Across the Life Span. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2019; 73:198-207. [PMID: 29106656 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbx083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This study tested whether church-based social support buffers the negative effects of discrimination on serious psychological distress (SPD) among three age groups-early, middle, and late adulthood-of African American men. Methods Negative binominal regression analyses for discrimination and SPD were performed using data from 1,271 African American men from the National Survey of American Life. Results Discrimination was positively associated with SPD for all age groups. An interaction between church-based support and discrimination indicated that under conditions of high levels of support from congregants, discrimination, and SPD were positively correlated. However, discrimination and SPD were unrelated for low levels of church-based support. Further, the interaction was significant for men aged 18-34 and 55 or older but not significant for men aged 35-54. Discussion This is the first study to document relationships among discrimination, SPD, and church-based support in a nationally representative sample of African American men. Overall, rather than revealing a stress-buffering function, findings were consistent with the resource mobilization perspective of social support, indicating that higher levels of assistance from church networks are provided when individuals experience high levels of both discrimination and SPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann W Nguyen
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | | | | | - María P Aranda
- Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Karen D Lincoln
- Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
| | - Courtney S Thomas
- Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
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26
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Cross CJ, Taylor RJ, Chatters LM. Family Social Support Networks of African American and Black Caribbean Adolescents. JOURNAL OF CHILD AND FAMILY STUDIES 2018; 27:2757-2771. [PMID: 30344428 PMCID: PMC6190710 DOI: 10.1007/s10826-018-1116-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christina J Cross
- Department of Sociology, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Robert Joseph Taylor
- School of Social Work, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Linda M Chatters
- School of Public Health, School of Social Work, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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Chatters LM, Nguyen AW, Taylor RJ, Hope MO. Church and Family Support Networks and Depressive Symptoms among African Americans: Findings from the National Survey of American Life. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2018; 46:403-417. [PMID: 29755153 PMCID: PMC5944602 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.21947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/26/2017] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
AbstractAims:We examined the associations between informal social support from church members and social support from extended family members and depressive symptoms within a national probability sample of African American adults ranging in age from 18 to 93.Methods:This analysis used data from the National Survey of American Life and accounted for religious service attendance and various demographic variables that have known associations with and are consequential for mental health.Results:Frequency of contact with church and family members and emotional support from family were inversely associated with depressive symptoms, and negative church and family interactions were positively associated with depressive symptoms. Emotional support from church members, however, was unrelated to depressive symptoms.Conclusion:This study underscores the important contributions of church relationships to depressive symptoms among African Americans across the adult life span, and confirms that these associations are independent of family relationship factors and religious service attendance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda M Chatters
- University of Michigan, School of Social Work, 1080 South University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
- University of Michigan, School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Ann W Nguyen
- Case Western Reserve University, Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, 11235 Bellflower Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106
| | - Robert Joseph Taylor
- University of Michigan, School of Social Work, 1080 South University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Meredith O Hope
- University of Michigan, Center for Research on Ethnicity, Culture, and Health, School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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Who Can I Turn To? Emotional Support Availability in African American Social Networks. SOCIAL SCIENCES 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/socsci6030104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
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29
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Bonilla-Escobar FJ, Osorio-Cuellar GV, Pacichana-Quinayáz SG, Sánchez-Rentería G, Fandiño-Losada A, Gutiérrez MI. Do not forget culture when implementing mental health interventions for violence survivors. CIENCIA & SAUDE COLETIVA 2017; 22:3053-3059. [DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232017229.12982016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 07/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Armed conflict has positioned Colombia as the country with the second highest internal displacement of citizens. This situation has forced government projects and international cooperation agencies to intervene to mitigate the impact of violence; however, the coping strategies implemented by the country’s minorities are still unknown. The study objective is to describe the coping strategies and their relation with mental health within Afro-descendant culture in Colombia and the effects that armed conflict has on these coping mechanisms, through a phenomenological study involving focus groups and interviews with experts. Rituals and orality have a healing function that allow Afro-Colombian communities to express their pain and support each other, enabling them to cope with loss. Since the forced displacement, these traditions have been in jeopardy. Armed conflict prevents groups from mourning, generating a form of latent pain. Afro-Colombians require community interventions that create similar spaces for emotional support for the bereaved persons in the pre-conflict period. Thus, it is essential to understand the impact of this spiritual and ritualistic approach on mental health issues and the relevance of narrative and community interventions for survivors.
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30
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Nguyen AW. Variations in Social Network Type Membership Among Older African Americans, Caribbean Blacks, and Non-Hispanic Whites. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2017; 72:716-726. [PMID: 28329871 PMCID: PMC5927094 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbx016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study examined race differences in the probability of belonging to a specific social network typology of family, friends, and church members. METHOD Samples of African Americans, Caribbean blacks, and non-Hispanic whites aged 55+ were drawn from the National Survey of American Life. Typology indicators related to social integration and negative interactions with family, friendship, and church networks were used. Latent class analysis was used to identify typologies, and latent class multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the influence of race, and interactions between race and age, and race and education on typology membership. RESULTS Four network typologies were identified: optimal (high social integration, low negative interaction), family-centered (high social integration within primarily the extended family network, low negative interaction), strained (low social integration, high negative interaction), and ambivalent (high social integration and high negative interaction). Findings for race and age and race and education interactions indicated that the effects of education and age on typology membership varied by race. DISCUSSION Overall, the findings demonstrate how race interacts with age and education to influence the probability of belonging to particular network types. A better understanding of the influence of race, education, and age on social network typologies will inform future research and theoretical developments in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann W Nguyen
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
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31
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Forsythe-Brown I, Taylor RJ, Chatters LM, Govia IO, Matusko N, Jackson JS. Kinship Support in Jamaican Families in the USA and Jamaica. JOURNAL OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES (NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.) 2017; 21:187-202. [PMID: 29038650 PMCID: PMC5639907 DOI: 10.1007/s12111-017-9355-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Joseph Taylor
- School of Social Work and Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Linda M Chatters
- School of Public Health, School of Social Work and Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Ishtar O Govia
- Department of Sociology, Psychology, and Social Work, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Niki Matusko
- Department of Surgery, Medical School, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - James S Jackson
- Institute for Social Research and Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
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Taylor RJ. Race and Religious Participation: Introduction to Special Issue. RACE AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS 2017; 9:1-3. [PMID: 28316754 PMCID: PMC5351880 DOI: 10.1007/s12552-017-9200-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Joseph Taylor
- School of Social Work, Program for Research on Black Americans, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
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Himle JA, Taylor RJ, Nguyen AW, Williams MT, Lincoln KD, Taylor HO, Chatters LM. Family and Friendship Networks and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Among African Americans and Black Caribbeans. THE BEHAVIOR THERAPIST 2017; 40:99-105. [PMID: 28321149 PMCID: PMC5356022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Although there is a large literature on the influence of social support on mental health there is limited research on social support and OCD. This is especially the case for African Americans and Black Caribbeans. This study examines the relationship between family and friendship networks and the prevalence of OCD. The analysis is based on the National Survey of American Life a nationally representative sample of African Americans and Black Caribbeans. Variables included frequency of contact with family and friends, subjective closeness with family and friends, and negative interactions (conflict, criticisms) with family members. The results indicated that only negative interaction with family members was significantly associated with OCD prevalence. African Americans and Black Caribbeans with more frequent negative interactions with family members had a higher likelihood of having OCD. Subjective closeness and frequency of contact with family and friends was not protective of OCD. Overall the findings are consistent with previous work which finds that social support is an inconsistent protective factor of psychiatric disorders, but negative interactions with support network members is more consistently associated with mental health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Himle
- School of Social Work, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Robert Joseph Taylor
- School of Social Work, Program for Research on Black Americans, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | - Ann W Nguyen
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
| | | | - Karen D Lincoln
- Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California
| | - Harry Owen Taylor
- The Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis, MO
| | - Linda M Chatters
- School of Social Work, School of Public Health, Program for Research on Black Americans, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
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Nguyen AW, Taylor RJ, Chatters LM, Taylor HO, Lincoln KD, Mitchell UA. Extended family and friendship support and suicidality among African Americans. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2017; 52:299-309. [PMID: 27838732 PMCID: PMC5346057 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-016-1309-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study examined the relationship between informal social support from extended family and friends and suicidality among African Americans. METHODS Logistic regression analysis was based on a nationally representative sample of African Americans from the National Survey of American Life (N = 3263). Subjective closeness and frequency of contact with extended family and friends and negative family interaction were examined in relation to lifetime suicide ideation and attempts. RESULTS Subjective closeness to family and frequency of contact with friends were negatively associated with suicide ideation and attempts. Subjective closeness to friends and negative family interaction were positively associated with suicide ideation and attempts. Significant interactions between social support and negative interaction showed that social support buffers against the harmful effects of negative interaction on suicidality. CONCLUSIONS Findings are discussed in relation to the functions of positive and negative social ties in suicidality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann W. Nguyen
- Edward R. Roybal Institute On Aging, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 1150 South Olive Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015, USA
| | | | | | - Harry Owen Taylor
- George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Karen D. Lincoln
- Edward R. Roybal Institute On Aging, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 1150 South Olive Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015, USA
| | - Uchechi A. Mitchell
- Division of Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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Nguyen AW, Chatters LM, Taylor RJ. African American Extended Family and Church-Based Social Network Typologies. FAMILY RELATIONS 2016; 65:701-715. [PMID: 28479650 PMCID: PMC5417543 DOI: 10.1111/fare.12218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2016] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
We examined social network typologies among African American adults and their sociodemographic correlates. Network types were derived from indicators of the family and church networks. Latent class analysis was based on a nationally representative sample of African Americans from the National Survey of American Life. Results indicated four distinct network types: ambivalent, optimal, family centered, and strained. These four types were distinguished by (a) degree of social integration, (b) network composition, and (c) level of negative interactions. In a departure from previous work, a network type composed solely of nonkin was not identified, which may reflect racial differences in social network typologies. Further, the analysis indicated that network types varied by sociodemographic characteristics. Social network typologies have several promising practice implications, as they can inform the development of prevention and intervention programs.
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Taylor RJ, Mouzon DM, Nguyen AW, Chatters LM. Reciprocal Family, Friendship and Church Support Networks of African Americans: Findings from the National Survey of American Life. RACE AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS 2016; 8:326-339. [PMID: 27942269 PMCID: PMC5142742 DOI: 10.1007/s12552-016-9186-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
This study examined reciprocal support networks involving extended family, friends and church members among African Americans. Our analysis examined specific patterns of reciprocal support (i.e., received only, gave only, both gave and received, neither gave or received), as well as network characteristics (i.e., contact and subjective closeness) as correlates of reciprocal support. The analysis is based on the African American sub-sample of the National Survey of American Life (NSAL). Overall, our findings indicate that African Americans are very involved in reciprocal support networks with their extended family, friends and church members. Respondents were most extensively involved in reciprocal supports with extended family members, followed closely by friends and church networks. Network characteristics (i.e., contact and subjective closeness) were significantly and consistently associated with involvement with reciprocal support exchanges for all three networks. These and other findings are discussed in detail. This study complements previous work on the complementary roles of family, friend and congregational support networks, as well as studies of racial differences in informal support networks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Linda M Chatters
- School of Public Health, School of Social Work, University of Michigan
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Erving CL. Ethnic and Nativity Differences in the Social Support-Physical Health Association Among Black Americans. J Immigr Minor Health 2016; 20:124-139. [PMID: 27646823 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-016-0492-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Despite an abundant literature on social support and health, relatively less is known about how support and its impact on physical health vary within the Black population. Using the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), this paper examines which sources and types of support are associated with physical health among African Americans, U.S.-born Caribbean Blacks and foreign-born Caribbean Blacks. The results showed that for U.S.-born Caribbean Blacks, being married was especially beneficial to health. Closeness to family was associated with better health while negative interactions with family members was associated with worse health for African Americans and foreign-born Caribbean Blacks. Different sources of instrumental support affected all three groups. Overall, the findings reveal that, among Black Americans, the association between social support and physical health is contingent upon ethnicity, nativity, and the ways in which social support and health are operationalized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy L Erving
- Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Fretwell Building 490L, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA.
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Flórez KR, Ghosh-Dastidar MB, Beckman R, de la Haye K, Duru OK, Abraído-Lanza AF, Dubowitz T. The Power of Place: Social Network Characteristics, Perceived Neighborhood Features, and Psychological Distress Among African Americans in the Historic Hill District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2016; 58:60-68. [PMID: 27612324 PMCID: PMC5303018 DOI: 10.1002/ajcp.12086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
African American neighborhoods have been historically targeted for urban renewal projects, which impact social composition and resident's health. The Hill District in Pittsburgh, PA is such a neighborhood. This research sought to investigate the extent to which social networks and perceived neighborhood social cohesion and safety were associated with psychological distress among residents in an African American neighborhood undergoing urban renewal, before the implementation of major neighborhood changes. Findings revealed a modest, significant inverse association between social network size and psychological distress (β = -0.006, p < .01), even after controlling for age, employment, education, and income. Perceived neighborhood safety predicted decreased psychological distress (β = -1.438, p < .01), but not social cohesion, which is consistent with past research. Findings suggest that social networks protect against psychological distress, but neighborhood perceptions are also paramount.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kayla de la Haye
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Obidiugwu Kenrik Duru
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ana F Abraído-Lanza
- Sociomedical Sciences Department, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Family, friends, and 12-month PTSD among African Americans. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2016; 51:1149-57. [PMID: 27189209 PMCID: PMC4980152 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-016-1239-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Despite a growing literature on the influence of social support on mental health, little is known about the relationship between social support and specific psychiatric disorders for African Americans, such as PTSD. This study investigated the relationship between social support, negative interaction with family and 12-month PTSD among African Americans. METHODS Analyses were based on a nationally representative sample of African Americans from the National Survey of American Life (n = 3315). Social support variables included emotional support from family, frequency of contact with family and friends, subjective closeness with family and friends, and negative interactions with family. RESULTS Results indicated that emotional support from family is negatively associated with 12-month PTSD while negative interaction with family is predictive of 12-month PTSD. Additionally, a significant interaction indicated that high levels of subjective closeness to friends could offset the impact of negative family interactions on 12-month PTSD. CONCLUSIONS Overall, study results converged with previously established findings indicating that emotional support from family is associated with 12-month PTSD, while, negative interaction with family is associated with increased risk of 12-month PTSD. The findings are discussed in relation to prior research on the unique association between social support and mental health among African Americans.
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Taylor RJ, Taylor HO, Chatters LM. Social Isolation from Extended Family Members and Friends among African Americans: Findings from a National Survey. JOURNAL OF FAMILY SOCIAL WORK 2016; 19:443-461. [PMID: 27942198 PMCID: PMC5142749 DOI: 10.1080/10522158.2016.1181127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Linda M Chatters
- School of Social Work, School of Public Health, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan
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