COUNTERSPACES AND THE NARRATIVE IDENTITY WORK OF OFFENDER‐LABELED AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH

Through narrative identity work, offender‐labeled African American youth craft positive self‐concepts in the face of denigrating societal messages about their personhood. While past research suggests narrative identity work is largely intrapersonal, recent theory posits that it may also arise through individuals’ participation in counterspaces. This 9‐month ethnography explored how a group of offender‐labeled African American youth engaged in narrative identity work through participation in an intervention program that functioned as a counterspace. Findings from observations and interviews suggest youth engaged in narrative identity work by interfacing with the program's unique belief system, and roles, resources, and relationships within the program. These findings highlight specific interpersonal/setting mechanisms that facilitate the narrative identity work of offender‐labeled African American youth, while suggesting important implications for intervening with this population.     

Social Stigma,HIV/AIDS Knowledge,and Sexual Risk: A Cross‐Cultural Analysis1

The main aim of this study is to evaluate relationships linking social stigma, HIV/AIDS knowledge, and sexual risk among African American (AA) and South African (SA) college students. One major barrier to HIV prevention efforts is the social stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. Based on the Burkholder et al. (1999) findings, persons who engage in greater stigmatization of persons with AIDS (PWA) and gay people are associated with greater sexual behavior risk for HIV/AIDS. The present study attempted to replicate the Burkholder et al. study using African American and South African college students, but the findings were inconsistent with the aforementioned study. AA respondents had higher social stigma of PWA and gays and higher condom self‐efficacy. While SA respondents were less likely to stigmatize PWA and gay persons and had high‐perceived risk of being infected, they reported engaging in high‐risk sexual behavior. The authors discuss the differences that may account for the dissimilar findings.     

Life stressors,mastery, and perceived partner engagement in HIV‐Risk behavior

The relationships among level of personal mastery, economic stress, number of sexual partners, pregnancy status, and perceived partner engagement in HIV‐risk behaviors (i.e., intravenous drug use, imprisonment, and sex with other partners) were studied in a sample of 1069 single, inner‐city women. African American and European Americans were equally represented. We predicted that greater economic stress, a lower sense of personal mastery, and more sexual partners would be associated with greater perceptions of partner engagement in HIV‐risk behavior. We also predicted that personal mastery would serve as a moderating variable in the presence of life stressors (e.g., being pregnant, having multiple sexual partners). The findings supported the hypotheses. Women with more economic stress, multiple sexual partners, and lower personal mastery reported higher perceived partner engagement in HIV‐risk behavior than women with lower economic stress, one sexual partner, and higher personal mastery. Personal mastery had a greater impact for women with multiple sexual partners and for those who were pregnant. These findings were qualified by women's ethnicity. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

THE RELATIONSHIP OF CUMULATIVE STRESSORS,CHRONIC ILLNESS AND ABUSE TO THE SELF‐REPORTED SUICIDE RISK OF BLACK AND HISPANIC SEXUAL MINORITY YOUTH

Sexual minority youth [SMY] are a population who experience considerable stress related to their sexual identities. Previous investigations have identified individual risk factors that contribute to suicide among SMY, yet little research has focused on cumulative stressors that may exacerbate negative outcomes for multiethnic sexual minority youth [MSMY]. This study used hierarchical logistic regression to explore the relationship between cumulative risks and their relationship to self‐reported suicide risk for MSMY. The community‐based clinical sample (n = 137) reported high co‐occurrence of risks, with an average of 9. Overall, MSMY with a higher number of cumulative risk factors were twice as likely to express self‐reported suicide risk. Specifically, experiencing chronic illness and physical or sexual abuse resulted in threefold higher odds of self‐reported suicide risk among MSMY. These findings address a gap in the literature about the relationship of cumulative and specific stressors to the self‐reported suicide risk for an understudied, vulnerable population.     

Ethnic identity in urban African American youth: Exploring links with self‐worth,aggression, and other psychosocial variables

This study represents an attempt to examine the relative influences of ethnic identity and global self‐worth on aggression, coping, and adjustment among urban African American adolescents. Findings suggest that ethnic identity was associated with a range of positive feelings about oneself and health‐related outcomes. When taking into account global self‐worth, youth with a greater sense of ethnic/racial identity reported more active coping strategies, fewer beliefs supporting aggression, and fewer aggressive behaviors. A strong positive sense of global self‐worth was significantly related to lower levels of anxiety and depression, and greater beliefs supporting aggressive behavior, when taking into account ethnic identity. Examining these constructs in combination can yield insight into the processes involved in competence and adjustment among at‐risk youth. This study suggests that ethnic identity is an important component of development, and that we should consider examining and strengthening ethnoracial and political consciousness among youth in preventive interventions. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Patterns of Sexual Risk Behaviors and Psychiatric Disorders in a Community Sample of Young Adults

This cross-sectional study documents significant associations between patterns of sexual risk behaviors and psychiatric diagnoses in a multiethnic community sample of young adults (N = 1803) in South Florida. Self-report data regarding sexual behavior and psychiatric symptoms were collected in structured interviews in a follow-up of an earlier school-based study. Cluster analysis was used to group participants with regard to levels of sexual risk behaviors during the past year. Chi-square analysis and ANOVA identified significant associations between cluster membership and (a) lifetime and (b) past year diagnoses for affective disorders, conduct disorder, antisocial personality disorder, alcohol abuse/dependence, marijuana abuse/dependence, and other drug abuse/dependence. In addition, higher levels of sexual risk behaviors were associated with higher levels of cumulative lifetime psychiatric disorders. Implications for selected prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the treatment of psychiatric disorders in young adulthood are discussed.     

Depression symptoms and substance abuse in adolescents with asthma.

BACKGROUND: Depression and risk behaviors occur often in adolescents in the United States, but their frequency in youth with asthma is not well documented. OBJECTIVE: To establish rates of and associations between depression and substance use in youth with asthma. METHODS: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey with 13,917 students in grades 9 to 12 from 159 high schools in 40 states, producing a nationally representative distribution of students by grade, sex, and race/ethnicity. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey documents self-reported suicide intent and health risk behaviors, including use of tobacco, marijuana, alcohol, and cocaine. RESULTS: In 720 adolescents reporting current asthma (5.2% of the total sample), depression symptoms, cigarette smoking, and cocaine use occurred more frequently than in youth without asthma. Substance use increased with depression; of youth with asthma reporting suicidal ideation, 40% had smoked cigarettes, 67% had smoked marijuana, 37% had engaged in binge drinking, and 12% had used cocaine in the past 30 days. Overall odds ratios for substance abuse in the group with asthma were not altered when controlling for age, sex, and race, although odds ratios for specific risk behaviors in those with asthma varied slightly within age, sex, and race groups. CONCLUSIONS: National rates of depression and associated risk behaviors in youth with asthma have not been previously reported, indicate a need to screen adolescents with asthma for depression, and suggest that risk behaviors in this population may signal heightened need for intervention.     

The link between maternal sleep and permissive parenting during late adolescence

Utilizing a multi‐method design, the present study examined the association between maternal sleep, assessed via actigraphy and self‐reports, and permissive parenting (e.g. lax, inconsistent discipline) during adolescence, as well as the extent to which this association differed by mothers’ race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. The sample was comprised of 234 mothers (M age = 41.76 years, SD = 6.25; 67% European‐American, 31% African‐American, 2% other race/ethnicities) and 237 adolescents (113 boys, 124 girls; M age = 15.80 years, SD = 0.80; 66% European‐American, 34% African‐American). Mothers’ sleep duration (actual sleep minutes) and quality (sleep efficiency, latency, long wake episodes) were assessed using actigraphy. Mothers also reported on their sleep problems and adolescents reported on mothers’ permissive parenting behaviours. Results revealed that actigraphy‐based longer sleep duration and shorter sleep latency were associated with lower levels of permissive parenting. Further, mothers’ race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status moderated the association between actigraphy‐based sleep quality (i.e. sleep efficiency, long wake episodes) and permissive parenting. Specifically, a negative association between sleep efficiency and permissive parenting was evident only for African‐American mothers. In addition, a positive association between more frequent night wakings and permissive parenting was evident only for mothers from lower socioeconomic status households. The findings highlight the benefits of longer and higher‐quality sleep for reducing the risk of permissive parenting, especially among ethnic minority mothers and mothers from lower socioeconomic status households.     

Disparities of HIV risk and PrEP use among transgender women of color in South Florida

BackgroundThe majority of the transgender female population in South Florida are Latina and Black, and are at greatest risk for acquiring HIV, yet there is limited research focused on South Florida transgender women of color. The study objective was to describe the disparities among racial/ethnic minority transgender women regarding HIV screening, pre exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) knowledge and PrEP utilization.MethodsSixty transgender women, recruited from South Florida community-based organizations, completed a questionnaire on HIV prevention and PrEP awareness and use. Univariate statistics were generated to describe sexual risk behavior, PrEP awareness and use, and HIV screening by race/ethnicity.ResultsOf the 60 participants, 50.0% were Latina, 35.0% African American/non-Hispanic Black (AA/NHB), 11.7% white and 3.3% other race/ethnicity. 75.0% reported being screened for HIV in the last 12 months, 15.3% of the participants reported living with HIV (PLWH), while 18.6% reported an unknown status. Compared to Latinas, AA/NHB demonstrated more risk (≥2 sexual partners: 76.2% vs 53.3%; transactional sex: 47.6% vs. 26.7%; unprotected receptive anal sex: 42.9% v. 26.7%), and more engagement in routine care (81.0% vs. 76.7%) at least once a year. PrEP knowledge was 76.7% among Latinas, 71.4% among whites, 47.6% among Blacks, and 50.0% among other race/ethnicity. 65.0% of participants knew about PrEP. Of the 8.2% with current or previous PrEP use, none were AA/NHB.ConclusionFindings suggest that education and public health campaigns in South Florida that promote HIV prevention should focus on increasing awareness and utilization of PrEP among racial/ethnic minority transgender, particularly among AA/NHB transgender women who are most at risk and had the lowest knowledge and use of PrEP.     

Patterns of partners' abusive behaviors as reported by Latina and non‐Latina survivors

This study builds on the existing knowledge of risk factors for lethal intimate partner violence (IPV) and typologies of IPV abusers by exploring patterns of abusive partners' behaviors among known risk factors for intimate partner femicide (i.e., murder of women) and determines if groups of survivors with similar patterns of abusive behaviors exist. The common patterns are then examined for differences among Latina and non‐Latina survivors. Face‐to‐face interviews were conducted with adult English‐ and Spanish‐speaking survivors of past‐year physical and/or sexual IPV using a validated risk assessment instrument, the Danger Assessment (DA) Questionnaire. Two‐hundred nine IPV survivors participated, 55% Latina. Unique patterns of abusive behaviors perpetrated by an intimate partner or ex‐partner across known risk factors for lethal violence were reported. The patterns clustered into five distinct groups: extreme abuser, physical and sexual violence/controlling abuser, forced sex/controlling abuser, threat/controlling abuser, and low‐level tactics abuser. Latina and non‐Latina survivors reported mean DA scores (13.0 vs. 18.5, respectively) that place them within the “increased danger” and “extreme danger” level, respectively, for lethal violence by an abusive partner. Although both groups were in extreme danger on average, the patterns of abusive behaviors differed. Latina women were more likely to characterize their partner as using forced sex to control the relationship, whereas non‐Latina women were more likely to characterize the use of all types of abusive behaviors (i.e., extreme abuser) or threats to kill them (i.e., threat/controlling abuser) to control the relationship. The findings of this study can be used to develop effective individualized safety plans that include culturally and linguistically competent strategies to reduce violence‐related morbidity and mortality. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Conspiracy beliefs about the origin of HIV/AIDS in four racial/ethnic groups

We examined beliefs about the origin of HIV as a genocidal conspiracy in men and women of four racial/ethnic groups in a street intercept sample in Houston, Texas. Groups sampled were African American, Latino, non-Hispanic white, and Asian. Highest levels of conspiracy theories were found in women, and in African American and Latino populations (over a quarter of African Americans and over a fifth of Latinos) with slightly lower rates in whites (a fifth) and Asians (less than one in ten). Reductions in condom use associated with such beliefs were however only apparent in African American men. Conspiracy beliefs were an independent predictor of reported condom use along with race/ethnicity, gender, education, and age group. Data suggest that genocidal conspiracy beliefs are relatively widespread in several racial/ethnic groups and that an understanding of the sources of these beliefs is important to determine their possible impact on HIV prevention and treatment behaviors.     

Adolescent and adult low‐income mothers: How do needs and resources differ?

This study examined the living situations and self‐perceived needs and resources of 2,121 low‐income teen and adult mothers. African American and teen mothers were more likely to coreside with grandparental figure(s) than other ethnicities and older mothers. European American mothers and adult mothers were more likely to be living with a partner. While controlling for living situation and ethnicity, teen mothers indicated greater resources than adult mothers in three of four resource areas. Mothers who coresided perceived themselves as having greater basic needs and money resources than mothers in other living situations. Teen mothers perceive their resources positively, perhaps indicating that the support they receive, regardless of their coresidence situation, may be sheltering them from realities that low‐income adult mothers must face. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 35: 1037–1052, 2007.     

Income,race/ethnicity,and exposure to violence in youth: Results from the national survey of adolescents

This study examined the associations between household income, race/ethnicity, and exposure to violence in a nationally representative sample of youth. Participants included a national probability sample of adolescents (ages 12-17), who completed a telephone interview that assessed lifetime occurrences of witnessing violence, receipt of physically abusive punishment, physical assault, and sexual assault. Results indicated that as household income increased prevalence of witnessing violence, receipt of physically abusive punishment, physical assault, and sexual assault decreased for Caucasian but not African-American or Hispanic youth. In addition to the interaction of household income with race/ethnicity, a main effect of race/ethnicity across income groups was apparent for witnessing violence. More specifically, African-American and Hispanic youth reported significantly higher rates of witnessing violence at each income level relative to their Caucasian counterparts. Findings from this nationally representative sample of youth suggest that it may be simplistic to interpret high rates of violence exposure among minority youth as due to their disproportionate representation among the economically disadvantaged in the United States. This study illustrates the importance of examining risk and protective factors separately for each type of violence experienced by youth, and underscores the need to assess the generalizability of risk and protective factors across racial/ethnic groups. � 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Perceived susceptibility to pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease among pregnant and nonpregnant adolescents

This study of urban adolescent females investigated predictors of perceived susceptibility to single and dual sexual outcomes (pregnancy only, sexually transmitted disease [STD] only, pregnancy and STDs). Thirty percent of participants felt susceptible to dual sexual outcomes. We developed a predictive model of perceived susceptibility to pregnancy/STDs from sexual risk‐behavior, sexual consequences (e.g., recent pregnancy and STD), relationship, cognitive, psychological, and personal factors. Dual pregnancy and STD susceptibility was associated with more than one sexual partner in the past year, no hormonal contraception use, inconsistent condom use, not being pregnant, and White race. In contrast, pregnancy‐only susceptibility was associated with only hormonal contraceptive use and not being pregnant. Finally, STD susceptibility was associated with more than one sexual partner in the past year, no hormonal contraceptive use, and low self‐esteem. We must understand how individuals perceive their susceptibility to complex combinations of reproductive health outcomes (e.g., pregnancy and STDs) to design interventions to increase condom and contraceptive use among adolescent females. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 31: 419–434, 2003.     

Multidimensional Physical Self‐Concept in Underserved Urban High School Students: Predicting Physical Activity

The purpose of this study was to predict physical activity (PA) using multidimensional physical self‐concept theory with underserved urban inner city youth. Eight‐hundred and sixty‐five, mostly African‐American, high school students from a large Midwest inner city participated in the current study. Using structural equation modeling, we found support for multidimensional self‐concept theory. We argue against one‐dimensional models of self‐esteem as two discrete physical self‐concepts accounted for significant variance in PA. Endurance and sport self‐concepts both contributed to predicting unique variance (15%) in PA.     

Reliability and validity of the youth version of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART-Y) in the assessment of risk-taking behavior among inner-city adolescents.

This study examined the reliability and validity of the youth version of the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART-Y) for assessing adolescent risk behaviors among a sample of 98 inner-city African American adolescents (M age = 14.8, SD = 1.5). In addition to a relation with sensation seeking, BART-Y responding evidenced a significant relation with a composite of risk behaviors across substance use, sexual behavior, delinquency, and health domains. BART-Y responding also explained unique variance in a composite of these risk behaviors above and beyond demographic variables and risk-related personality constructs, including sensation seeking and impulsivity.     

Predictors of HIV Risk Among College Students: A CHAID Analysis1

SUMMARY The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of risk behaviors among college students and to determine how students differed in HIV risk practices. Participants were from six colleges and universities in a large southeastern metropolitan area. The present analysis was limited to participants who were 18 to 25 years of age; single; White, African American, or Asian; and reported initiation of sexual intercourse. The results demonstratedsignificant associations of gender and race with having sex within the past3 months, number of partners, condom use, length of time one knew one's sexual partner, substance use, and asking one's partner about sexualhistory. Using Chi-Square Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID), the strongest predictor of condom use was noted to be gender, and the strongest predictor of number of partners was race. The findings of this study indicate that HIV risk factors vary dependingon a college student's ethnicity, gender, academic status, and substanceuse. Most importantly, African American men, particularly men who use drugs, and White and Asian men who use alcohol tend to report higher numbers of sexual partners. Females, particularly upperclass White females, and White men who do not use alcohol report infrequent condom use. These findings areuseful for health educators who have begun to recognize the importance ofconsidering the HIV risk factors of students and incorporating informationrelated to these factors into HIV prevention programs. From the results ofthis study, we have several suggestions that health educators and researchersmay want to consider when developing programs for college students: 1. Although students may not need extensive information about basic HIVfacts, they may need reinforcement of the information. In particular, students need to be made aware that lambskin condoms do not offer protection against HIV transmission. 2. Females need to be encouraged and taught the skills to negotiate theuse of and to actually use condoms. These skills need to be reinforced throughout college, particularly as women adopt other methods of birth control (i.e., the pill). 3. The general acceptance of condom use among African Americans and Asians may be a useful tool for the health educator. Promoting and reinforcingthis norm and behavior, while addressing some of the other risk factors inthese groups, may be a particularly effective approach to HIV prevention. 4. For White students whose condom use rates are lower, messages can include the use of condoms for STD and pregnancy protection. Messages for male students could include control over preventing pregnancy or sharing control for pregnancy prevention. 5. Couples often abandon using condoms when they feel they know each other “well enough.” Some guidelines for when to give up condoms might also be given to provide couples with responsible and realistic directions for minimizing their risk when choosing to engage in unprotected sex. These guidelines would include HIV testing two times at least 6 months apart, no evidence of STDs in either partner, and a commitment of both partners to a monogamous relationship. 6. When addressing the number of sexual partners as a risk factor, African American men and women may hold the greatest potential for change, given the greater likelihood of multiple partners in these groups. 7. With respect to drug and alcohol use, health educators may want to include discussions about the influence of drugs (particularly for African American students) and alcohol (particularly for White and Asian students) on inhibiting logical decision-making as it relates to sexual intercourse.     

Growing up in a dangerous developmental milieu: The effects of parenting processes on adjustment in inner‐city African American adolescents

The current longitudinal study examined the protective effects of parenting processes on measures of adolescent adjustment (health‐compromising and violent behaviors) in a sample of high‐risk, inner‐city, poor African American youth ( N = 2,867). Parenting processes played an important role in this dangerous developmental milieu. For male adolescents, they accounted for 26 to 37% in health‐compromising behaviors and 16 to 24% of the total variance in violent behaviors over time. Multigroup SEM analyses by sex and age groups (early, middle, and late adolescents) indicated no differences of these effects across groups. Findings provided evidence that parenting processes are salient for a high‐risk, inner‐city minority population in understanding and predicting health‐compromising and violent behaviors. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

FMR1 premutation frequency in a large,ethnically diverse population referred for carrier testing

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability and is caused by an expansion of cytosine‐guanine‐guanine (CGG) repeats in the FMR1 gene. Female premutation allele carriers (55–200 CGG repeats) are at risk to have an affected child. Currently, specific population‐based carrier screening for FXS is not recommended. Previous studies exploring female premutation carrier frequency have been limited by size or ethnicity. This retrospective study provides a pan‐ethnic estimate of the Fragile X premutation carrier frequency in a large, ethnically diverse population of women referred for routine carrier screening during a specified time period at Progenity, Inc. Patient ethnicity was self‐reported and categorized as: African American, Ashkenazi Jewish, Asian, Caucasian, Hispanic, Native American, Other/Mixed/Unknown, or Sephardic Jewish. FXS test results were stratified by ethnicity and repeat allele category. Total premutation carrier frequency was calculated and compared against each ethnic group. A total of 134,933 samples were included. The pan‐ethnic premutation carrier frequency was 1 in 201. Only the Asian group differed significantly from this frequency. Using the carrier frequency of 1 in 201, a conservative pan‐ethnic risk estimate for a male fetus to have FXS can be calculated as 1 in 2,412. This risk is similar to the highest ethnic‐based fetal risks for cystic fibrosis and spinal muscular atrophy, for which population‐wide screening is currently recommended. This study adds to the literature and supports further evaluation into specific population‐wide screening recommendations for FXS.     

Exposure to Community Violence and Sexual Behaviors Among African American Youth: Testing Multiple Pathways

African American youth bear a disproportionate burden of sexually transmitted infections. A growing number of studies document that youth exposure to community violence and sexual behaviors are highly correlated. Despite such growing evidence, only a few studies have empirically tested conceptually driven pathways that may account for such relationships. This study seeks to address that gap by exploring multiple pathways linking exposure to community violence and youth sexual behaviors. Using an existing sample of 563 African American youth attending high school, we examined whether possible links between exposure to community violence and sexual activity, sexual risk behaviors were mediated by aggression, low student-teacher connectedness, and negative peer norms. Major findings indicated indirect relationships between exposures to community violence and both sexual activity and risky sex, mediated by aggression and negative peer norms with no significant differences based on gender or socioeconomic status. Overall findings also indicated a significant indirect effect of aggression to risky sex via negative peer norms and from community violence to risky peer norms via aggression. By illuminating ways that community violence, aggression, peer norms, and sexual behaviors are dynamically interrelated, these findings have significant implications for future research and intervention initiatives aimed at addressing the different pathways.