UMBC Psychology Department

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/11603/45

Browse

Now showing 1 - 20 of 802

Uncovering mediational pathways behind racial and socioeconomic disparities in brain volumes: insights from the UK Biobank study
(Springer Nature, 2024-10-10) Beydoun, May A.; Beydoun, Hind A.; Fanelli-Kuczmarski, Marie T.; Hu, Yi-Han; Shaked, Danielle; Weiss, Jordan; Waldstein, Shari R.; Launer, Lenore J.; Evans, Michele K.; Zonderman, Alan B.
Mediation pathways explaining racial/ethnic and socioeconomic (SES) disparities in structural MRI markers of brain health remain underexplored. We examined racial/ethnic and SES disparities in sMRI markers and tested total, direct, and indirect effects through lifestyle, health-related, and cognition factors using a structural equations modeling approach among 36,184 UK Biobank participants aged 40–70 years at baseline assessment (47% men). Race (non-White vs. White) and lower SES-predicted poorer brain sMRI volumetric outcomes at follow-up, with racial/ethnic disparities in sMRI outcomes involving multiple pathways and SES playing a central role in those pathways. Mediational patterns differed across outcomes, with the SES-sMRI total effect being partially mediated for all outcomes. Over 20% of the total effect (TE) of race/ethnicity on WMH was explained by the indirect effect (IE), by a combination of different pathways going through SES, lifestyle, health-related, and cognition factors. This is in contrast to < 10% for total brain, gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and frontal GM left/right. Another significant finding is that around 57% of the total effect for SES and the normalized white matter hyperintensity (WMH) was attributed to an indirect effect. This effect encompasses many pathways that involve lifestyle, health-related, and cognitive aspects. Aside from WMH, the percent of TE of SES mediated through various pathways ranged from~ 5% for WM to > 15% up to 36% for most of the remaining sMRI outcomes, which are composed mainly of GM phenotypes. Race and SES were important determinants of brain volumetric outcomes, with partial mediation of racial/ethnic disparities through SES, lifestyle, health-related, and cognition factors.
Cigarette Smoking, Mental Health, Depression, Maryland Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey, 2020
(Sage, 2024-10-03) Balsara, Khushbu; Iftikhar, Ali; Galiatsatos, Panagis; DiClemente, Carlo; Mattingly, Brian; Kanarek, Norma F.
Background Smoking cessation is linked to improved mental health that encompasses the overall well-being and psychological functioning of an individual. Objective Examine relationships between smoking, mental health, and social connectedness among adults in Maryland, US in 2020. Methodology This cross-sectional study used data from the Maryland 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey of adults during the onset of COVID-19. Primary outcomes measured include demographics, depression, and number of not good mental health days among individuals with current and former smoking statuses compared to those who have never smoked. Results Compared to those who never smoked, individuals who currently smoked had an increased relative risk of reporting 14 or more days of not good mental health (RRR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.35-1.97, P < .001) and a history of depression (RRR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.69-2.35, P < .001). Individuals with former smoking status also showed elevated risk, with RRR = 1.24 (95% CI: 1.06-1.45, P = .006) for 14 or more days of not good mental health and RRR = 1.46 (95% CI: 1.28-1.66, P < .001) for a history of depression. Widowed, separated, or divorced; unemployed or unable to work; without a high school diploma; or recent physical exam were inclined to have a current or former smoking status. Conclusion We identify critical subpopulations vulnerable to life-long smoking behaviors amid the COVID-19 pandemic including adults under 35 years old, and those suffering from depression, a lack of social connectedness due to unemployment, changes in marital status, and outdated physical exams. The US Surgeon General’s 2023 Advisory on the epidemic of loneliness and the 2021 Youth Mental Health Report emphasize the mental health crises among the young in which these findings serve as a compelling call to action for innovating targeted public health interventions.
The role of acculturation in the accuracy of type 2 diabetes risk perception: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2016
(APA, 2024) Splain, Ashley M.; Khambaty, Tasneem
Objective: High rates of undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) necessitate additional efforts to increase risk awareness, particularly among marginalized and immigrant populations. We examined the association of acculturation with the likelihood of accurate perception of T2DM risk in a large nationally representative sample of adults at risk for T2DM. Method: Participants were 5,034 adults, M (SD) age: 53 (23) years, 48% female. Acculturation was operationalized as length of time in the United States, and whether participants predominantly spoke English or their native language at home. Adults were considered to have accurate risk perception if they (a) met American Diabetes Criteria for prediabetes, and (b) self-reported their risk. Results: Less than half of the sample (33%) accurately perceived their T2DM risk. Logistic regression models adjusting for age, race, sex, education, insurance status, smoking, alcohol use, waist circumference, and family history of T2DM revealed that adults living in the United States up to 15 years were 1.35–2.33 times (ps< .04) as likely to inaccurately perceive their risk for T2DM compared to adults living in the United States >15 years and United States-born adults. Adults with lower versus higher English proficiency had a 41% (p = .03) increased likelihood of misperceiving their T2DM risk. Conclusions: Findings suggest that acculturation plays an important role in shaping T2DM risk perceptions among both nonimmigrant and immigrant populations. Increased cognizance of acculturation status (e.g., by healthcare providers) may be warranted to promote early T2DM risk detection and prevention at the population level. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)
Discrimination, religious affiliation, and arterial stiffness in African American women and men
(APA, 2024) Ashe, Jason J.; MacIver, Peter; Sun, Shuyan; Taylor, Antione D.; Evans, Michele K.; Zonderman, Alan B.; Waldstein, Shari R.
Objective: This study examined the interactive relations of experienced interpersonal discrimination, sex, and religious affiliation with pulse wave velocity (PWV), a noninvasive measure of arterial stiffness and indicator of subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) prognostic for clinical CVD. Method: We used multivariable linear regression analyses with cross-sectional data from 797 African American midlife adults in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span study in Baltimore, Maryland, to examine the interactive relations of both linear and quadratic discrimination, religious affiliation status, and sex with PWV in models adjusted for age and poverty status. Results: Findings revealed a significant three-way interaction of Discrimination² × Religious Affiliation Status × Sex with PWV (B = 0.004, SE = 0.001, p = .004). Simple effect analyses showed a U-shape relation for only religiously affiliated men (B = 0.001, SE = 0.001, p = .008). Both lower and higher levels of discrimination were related to higher PWV. No such relations emerged among unaffiliated men or women. Findings remained robust after sensitivity analyses adjusted for depressive symptoms, cigarette use, obesity, marital status, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, CVD medical history, cholesterol, lipid-lowering medication use, systolic blood pressure, and heart rate. Conclusion: Religiously affiliated African American men who reported the lowest and highest experienced discrimination showed a heightened risk for subclinical CVD. Having a religious identity might either play a role in suppressing men’s unwanted memories of discrimination or increase men’s susceptibility to and salience of mistreatment, which might manifest in adverse cardiovascular health outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)
Understanding the role of experiential avoidance in intimate partner abuse
(APA, 2024) LaMotte, Adam D.; Khan, Ellia; Farrell, Danielle; Murphy, Christopher
Objective: Experiential avoidance (EA) refers to the unwillingness to stay in contact with present experiences in order to avoid distressing private events, including distressing thoughts and emotions. Although EA may provide short-term relief, chronic reliance on these strategies can exacerbate distress by inhibiting individuals from coping and responding adaptively to stressful situations. The present study examined ways in which EA may be involved in abusive behavior in intimate adult relationships. Method: Using vignettes depicting emotionally charged relationship scenarios, 74 men enrolled in an intervention program for partner violence reported on their anticipated negative emotional reactions, their motivation to end those emotional states, their likelihood of enacting specific aggressive/abusive and nonaggressive/nonabusive responses, and the anticipated success of those responses in reducing their negative emotions. Results: The relationship scenarios and behavioral response options were perceived as realistic and produced measurement scales that were internally consistent and correlated with a previously validated measure of EA. The intensity of negative emotions that participants anticipated and their motivation to reduce those emotions significantly predicted their reported likelihood of engaging in aggressive/abusive responses. The extent to which participants anticipated that aggressive/abusive actions would repair their negative emotion state was strongly and uniquely predictive of aggressive/abusive behavioral intentions. Conclusions: Experiential avoidance appears to be associated with partner abuse through both motivation to reduce or end negative emotion states and through the expectation that abusive responses will alleviate those emotions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)
Characters with Character
(Heron Creek Press, 2024) Deluty, Robert H.
Gendered Racial Microaggressions and Depressive Symptoms Among Emerging Adult Asian American Women: Racial/Ethnic Differences Among Asian and White Romantic Partners
(Springer, 2024-09-30) Wong, Michele J.; Keum, Brian TaeHyuk; Nguyen, Mary; Na, Jung Yun
Discrimination can contribute to adverse mental health outcomes among individuals in romantic partnerships. However, research has yet to examine how differences in partner race/ethnicity can shape the link between gendered racial microaggressions, an intersectional form of discrimination, and depressive symptoms among Asian American women. Accordingly, we assessed the link between gendered racial microaggressions and depressive symptoms, and whether partner race/ethnicity (White vs. Asian) moderated the link. Using a sample of 156 Asian American women (Mₐ₉ₑ = 26.5, SD = 5.33), we conducted multiple regressions to assess the main effects between four gendered racial microaggression stress subscale factors and depressive symptoms. We then examined partner race/ethnicity as a moderator in these associations. All four gendered racial microaggression stress subscale factors of ascribed submissiveness, assumptions of universal appearance, Asian fetishism, and media invalidation significantly predicted greater depressive symptoms. However, only Asian fetishism experiences maintained a significant and positive association with depressive symptoms for Asian American women with White male partners. The association between Asian fetishism and depressive symptoms was no longer significant for Asian American women with Asian male partners. Results indicate that Asian fetishization may be a uniquely oppressive experience for Asian American women with White partners that can contribute to greater depressive symptoms. These findings demonstrate an increased need for the development of critical consciousness in individual and couples counseling sessions to help Asian American women and their romantic partners identify and mitigate the negative effects of gendered racial microaggressions.
Ethical and epistemic costs of a lack of geographical and cultural diversity in developmental science
(APA, 2024) Singh, Leher; Basnight-Brown, Dana; Cheon, Bobby K.; Garcia, Rowena; Killen, Melanie; Mazuka, Reiko
Increasing geographical and cultural diversity in research participation has been a key priority for psychological researchers. In this article, we track changes in participant diversity in developmental science over the past decade. These analyses reveal surprisingly modest shifts in global diversity of research participants over time, calling into question the generalizability of our empirical foundation. We provide examples from the study of early child development of the significant epistemic and ethical costs of a lack of geographical and cultural diversity to demonstrate why greater diversification is essential to a generalizable science of human development. We also discuss strategies for diversification that could be implemented throughout the research ecosystem in the service of a culturally anchored, generalizable, and replicable science. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)
“We will build together”: Sowing the seeds of SEL statewide
(Elsevier, 2024-02-02) Shapiro, Valerie B.; Duane, Addison M.; Lee, Mai Xi; Jones, Tiffany M.; Metzger, Ashley N.; Khan, Sobia; Cook, Channa M.; Hwang, Sophia H. J.; Malicote, Brent; Nuñez, Alejandro; Lee, Juyeon; McLaughlin, Mike; Caballero, Jonathan A.; Moore, Julia E.; Williams, Christopher; Eva, Amy L.; Ferreira, Colleen; McVeagh-Lally, Pamela; Kooler, Jim
Social and emotional learning (SEL) has been lauded as important for student success. However, little guidance is available for how educators, scholars, and policymakers can work together to improve SEL implementation in public schools across a state. Here, we describe CalHOPE Student Support – an effort to “sow the seeds” of SEL across California. Invoking the metaphor of a garden, we first discuss the historic developments in California that readied the ground for such work. Then, we lift up the voices of education leaders who have been catalysts for transforming the landscape. Next, we describe our collective vision for a “thriving garden” – the process and outcomes we aim to achieve. We then explain how we harmonized essential elements (e.g., information, support, values, and action) into a comprehensive system for statewide SEL implementation. Then, we share information about our garden’s yield – our successes and ongoing struggles, through the voices of our collaborators. We end with a synthesis of lessons learned (e.g., build capacity for change-making, differentiate support, plan for turnover) for use by other educational leaders seeking to advance SEL in their regions.
Intergenerational Trauma and Resilience Among Migrant Families
Gillen, Maggie
Developing a Career-Focused, Diverse Mentoring Program for Underrepresented STEM Undergraduates
(The University of New Mexico, 2024-06-01) Wayman, Annica; Stolle-McAllister, Kathleen; LaCourse, William
The racial and gender composition of the STEM workforce and holders of advanced degrees still has low representation from those traditionally underrepresented groups (URGs) in STEM. Having little representation of URGs in the STEM workforce, especially among academic faculty, perpetuates the issue of STEM students having few, if any, diverse STEM faculty to engage which has been shown to hinder retention in STEM. While involving STEM students from URGs in research mentoring experiences with non-minority faculty mentors addresses this issue to some extent, it also may limit a student’s exposure to STEM careers beyond academic research which may help retain them. Thus, the UMBC STEM BUILD program developed and implemented a career-focused mentoring program that included a broad array of STEM professions from URGs to support career development of 2nd year STEM students.
Mitigating the effect of COVID-19 in a postemergency phase: The role of sense of community and individual resilience
(Wiley, 2024-08-27) Rizzo, Marco; Fedi, Angela; Brodsky, Anne; Rochira, Alessia; Zhao, Jenny; Mannarini, Terri
To identify and confirm patterns of relationships connecting sense of community (SOC) and individual resilience with psychological well-being, via the mediation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) impacts on life domains. An online survey was conducted with a sample of adults (n = 650) 1 year after the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy and the United States (April–December 2021). Utilizing a Structural Equation Model, we tested a mediation model (n = 563) to identify the associations between SOC and individual resilience and the perceived impacts of the emergency situation and psychological well-being. Results revealed that during the crisis, SOC had an influence on psychological well-being, but only by mediating the effects of COVID-19 impacts on life domains. Independently, individual resilience had a direct influence on psychological well-being. The findings support the importance of the interaction of individual and collective variables that played different roles at different phases of the pandemic. The findings suggest for possible interventions to enhance well-being during crises.
The Roles of Chinese American Mothers’ Stress and Parenting in their Children’s Socio-Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes
(2024/01/01) Wang, Suqing; Cheah, Charissa C. S. L. C; Psychology; Psychology
Parental factors play crucial roles in children’s socio-emotional and behavioral (SEB) outcomes. Despite being the largest subgroup within a rapidly expanding Asian American community in the United States, these processes remain understudied in Chinese American families, particularly given the cultural variations in parenting practices. Across three papers, this dissertation project aimed to explore the determinants of children’s SEB outcomes and the roles of parents within the context of Chinese American families. The first paper examined the associations between Chinese American mothers’ experiences of two types of stress (i.e., general/contextual stress and parenting stress) and their children’s SEB adjustment problems as well as the mediating roles of maternal psychologically controlling parenting (PCP) and maternal warmth in these associations. The results revealed that higher levels of general/contextual stress and parenting stress were each uniquely associated with more maternal PCP practices, which in turn was associated with fewer child adjustment problems. Although surprising, the finding that maternal PCP did not negatively impact child adjustment aligned with some previous research that suggests that such parenting practices are perceived less negatively in interdependence-oriented cultures, such as Chinese culture. These findings highlighted the critical role of cultural context in interpreting the impacts of parenting practices on child adjustment. The second and third papers focused on specific parenting practices, maternal emotion-related socialization behaviors. The second paper explored the mediating role of children’s effortful control in the associations between Chinese American mothers’ positive and negative emotional expressiveness and their children’s SEB adjustment problems. Results indicated that higher maternal positive emotional expressiveness and lower negative emotional expressiveness were each uniquely associated with higher child effortful control, which in turn was associated with fewer child adjustment problems. Our results demonstrated that the positive emotional support provided by Chinese American mothers to children played a crucial role in shaping their children's effortful control, a fundamental capacity that enhances child SEB functioning. The third paper utilized an observational task that is designed to evoke negative emotions in children to examine the associations between maternal responses to child emotions (physical soothing and symbolic/cognitive soothing) and children’s expressed positivity and sadness, as well as the moderating roles of general/contextual stress and parenting stress. The findings revealed that mothers’ parenting stress moderated the relations between mothers’ soothing behaviors and children’s expressed positivity such that children expressed higher positivity following physical soothing only when mothers perceived experiencing low levels of parenting stress. Conversely, children showed lower positivity following physical soothing if mothers perceived experiencing high levels of parenting stress. These contrasting moderation effects highlighted the importance of considering maternal parenting stress in emotion socialization processes. Together, this dissertation project expanded the literature, especially in the areas of emotion socialization and stress theories, by highlighting specificity in processes and the importance of culturally informed research that can inform interventions to improve the development and adjustment of Chinese American families.
The Influence of Psychiatric Hospitalization on Mental Health Help-Seeking for LGBTQ People of Color
(2024/01/01) Jumarali, Selima; Nnawulezi, Nkiru; Psychology; Psychology
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people of color (POC) may be uniquely impacted by psychiatric hospitalization and at greater risk of reporting perceived coercion, which is associated with increase suicide risk. This study examined the prevalence of perceived coercion in a sample of 133 LGBTQ POC who were psychiatrically hospitalized for suicidality and investigated whether perceived coercion predicts traumatic impact and future help-seeking intent using hierarchical linear regression models. Seventy-one percent of the sample reported perceived coercion and 29% of the sample reported no perceived coercion. Transgender and gender expansive (TGE) participants reported higher levels of perceived coercion than men. Perceived coercion independently significantly predicted traumatic impact and future help-seeking intent. Needs satisfaction and institutional betrayal each significantly predicted traumatic impact and future help-seeking intent when controlling for perceived coercion. Twenty-seven percent of participants encountered police involvement on their journey to hospitalization, 74% of whom reported a negative experience with the police. Clients who experienced police involvement were more likely to report lower needs satisfaction, greater institutional betrayal, greater traumatic impact, and lower future help-seeking intent. Medical and mental health providers, as well as administrators and staff, in inpatient psychiatric units can promote needs satisfaction through prioritizing patient autonomy, affirming patients’ strengths, demonstrating care and friendliness toward all patients, and cultivating social connection and peer support among patients. Institutions can prevent betrayal through LGBTQ+ affirming care practices and cultural competency training to avoid incidents of bias and discrimination. Prevention also includes publicizing patients’ rights, posting guidelines for behavior to promote an inclusive climate, and having highly visible methods to report bias and dissatisfaction with care. Institutions can also work to repair betrayal by incentivizing providers to solicit patient input in treatment, listen to patient feedback with empathy, apologize for missteps, and share additional steps patients can take for the institutions to address their grievances. Future research should investigate alternatives to hospitalization including non-police models of crisis response. Keywords: Inpatient Hospitalization, Perceived Coercion, LGBTQ, People of Color, Help-Seeking, Traumatic Impact, Institutional Betrayal, Needs Satisfaction, Police
The Impact of Observation and Distraction on Pediatric Acute Pain
(2024/01/01) Jehl, Brianna Lynn; Dahlquist, Lynnda; Psychology; Psychology
The present study was a novel exploration of the impacts of observation and distraction on acute pain outcomes in elementary school aged children. A sample of 96 children (40 girls) between the ages of 6 and 13 underwent two cold pressor trials during which pain tolerance, nervousness, pain intensity, and pain unpleasantness were assessed. The first trial served as a baseline; no intervention was conducted. During the second trial, participants were assigned to one of four experimental conditions—control (a repeat of baseline), observer present (participants completed the trial in the presence of an observer they were told was monitoring how well they performed), VR distraction (participants played Beat Saber while completing the trial) or observer present + VR (participants played the VR game while also being observed). It was hypothesized that the presence of an observer would decrease cold pressor tolerance and increase nervousness, pain intensity, and pain unpleasantness. It was also hypothesized that the use of distraction would increase cold pressor tolerance and decrease nervousness, pain intensity, and pain unpleasantness. The presence of the observer was expected to increase participant stress and result in poorer pain outcomes, whereas VR distraction was expected to result in improved pain outcomes and potentially counteract the negative impact of observation. The results revealed the expected effect of VR distraction on pain tolerance. Children who utilized VR had greater increases in pain tolerance than those children who did not utilize VR (p < .001). However, the presence of the observer did not significantly impact pain tolerance and there was not a significant interaction between observer presence and VR distraction. The expected interaction between observer presence and VR distraction was only obtained for unpleasantness. Pain unpleasantness significantly increased for those children in the observer present condition during trial 2 compared to trial 1 (p = .028) and decreased for those children in the observer present + VR condition during trial 2 (p = .025). However, unpleasantness did not decrease for those children in the VR only condition, making these findings difficult to interpret. A main effect of trial was found for nervousness such that children were more nervous during the second trial compared to the first (p = .005). Pain intensity was impacted by gender such that girls, not boys, who did not receive VR distraction experienced a significant decrease in pain intensity during trial 2 compared to trial 1 (p = .019), which was the opposite of what was expected. While observation was largely insignificant in the current study, it did have an impact on children’s pain unpleasantness; therefore, it is important to continue studying observation. It is likely that the observer was not potent enough to have a true impact on pain outcomes in the current study. Further research efforts should utilize diverse samples, multiple measurements of stress, and qualitative measures in order to allow for a more nuanced understanding of the impact of observation and distraction on pain.
A Multi-Method Examination of Asian American Parents and Adolescents’ Ethnic-Racial and Civic Socialization
(2024/01/01) Cho, Hyun Su; Cheah, Charissa S. L.; Psychology; Psychology
During the COVID-19 outbreak, the racialization of the pandemic refueled and intensified interpersonal and collective racial prejudice against Asian Americans, adversely impacting these families’ adjustment in both shorter and longer terms. In addition, the police murder of George Floyd in 2020 ignited an increase in momentum for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, which led many Asian Americans to reflect on systemic racism and their social positioning. Amidst this critical racial reckoning, ethnic-racial and civic socialization within the family context can shape the way children and adolescents view themselves as minoritized individuals and how they navigate the racialized landscape and address social inequity issues in the United States. Therefore, across three papers, this dissertation project broadly aimed to understand how Asian American families’ ethnic-racial and civic socialization is shaped and associated with adolescents’ civic engagement. Briefly, the first paper examined the association between Chinese American parents’ racial discrimination experiences and their maintenance of their heritage culture and concealing their Chinese heritage and connection ethnic-racial socialization during the COVID-19 pandemic, the mediating role of parents’ psychological well-being, the moderating role of family support, and the potential variations in these associations among parents with children across three developmental stages. The second paper focused on the mediating role of Chinese American parents’ civic socialization in the association between their interpersonal racial discrimination experiences and their adolescent’ community and political engagement. The potential exacerbating role of parents’ concerns about structural racism was explored. Finally, the third paper explored Asian American adolescents’ ethnic-racial and civic beliefs and responses to anti-Asian hate and the BLM movement during discussions with their parents. Moreover, within-group patterns among Chinese, Filipino, and Korean American adolescents’ responses, reasons, and their associations with their critical consciousness were examined. Together, the three studies made important empirical and theoretical contributions to the field by revealing: (1) underlying mechanisms in the association between racial discrimination and Asian American parents’ ethnic-racial and civic socialization and their adolescents’ civic engagement; (2) Asian American families’ resilience in the context of the rise in anti-Asian hate and racial tension; and (3) Asian American adolescents’ contributions to parent-adolescent discussions about race and social change. The present dissertation project has significant practical implications and calls for efforts to address systemic racism to ensure conscious-raising systems that can facilitate the positive development and thriving of Asian American children, adolescents, and families.
Reasons Why: Contributors of Suicide Risk among a Community Sample of Young People with Psychosis-like Experiences
(2024/01/01) Jay Title, Samantha; Schiffman, Jason; Pitts, Steven; Psychology; Psychology
Adolescents and young adults who experience higher levels of psychosis-like experiences (PLEs) also experience elevated rates of suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and deaths by suicide, as compared to the general population. Though there has been a recent burst of literature examining the relation between PLEs and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB), there is still a limited understanding of the factors that contribute to the heightened risk for STB among people with higher levels of PLEs. Among a sample of young people with higher levels of PLEs (N = 234), this study introduced The Suicide History Assessment for People with Psychosis-spectrum Experiences (SHAPE), a suicide risk assessment developed to measure relevant general and psychosis-spectrum-specific risk factors of STB. The present study (1) evaluated the relation between subtypes of PLEs and STB, (2) compared clinical characteristics of youth who reported that their PLEs impacted their suicidal thoughts to those who did not report a connection, (3) identified participant-rated general risk factors of suicidal thoughts among youth who experienced higher levels of PLEs, and (4) examined the sum of participant-identified general risk factors as a mediator of the relation between PLEs and STB. Hypotheses were partially supported. Results from this pilot study confirmed a relation between PLEs and suicide risk severity, as well as differential relations between PLE subtypes and suicide risk severity. A subset of participants reported that subtypes of PLEs impacted their suicidal thoughts, and this subsample presented with more clinically severe symptoms than those who did not identify a connection between symptoms. General suicide risk factors contributed to suicidal thoughts among people with high levels of PLEs, and these risk factors differed based on whether participants experienced high versus low levels of PLEs. Finally, the sum of these risk factors mediated the relation between distressing PLEs and suicide risk severity. Information gleaned from this study informed revisions and additions to the SHAPE and helped to identify relevant risk factors for STB among people with PLEs.
Relations among Attenuated Psychosis Symptoms, Internalized Stigma, and Help-Seeking Intentions in a Community Sample of Youth
(2024/01/01) Akouri-Shan, LeeAnn; Pitts, Steven C Schiffman, Jason; Psychology; Psychology
Attenuated psychosis symptoms often emerge during adolescence and young adulthood and, for some youth may be distressing, impairing, and/or increase in severity over time. Early identification of these youth combined with early intervention efforts can prevent or mitigate a host of negative outcomes traditionally associated with full-threshold psychotic disorders. Internalized mental health stigma has been widely established as a significant barrier to help-seeking among youth with mental health concerns, particularly those with attenuated psychosis symptoms. In addition to stigma, various symptom-related factors (e.g., symptom type, severity, and related distress) can also influence help-seeking among this group. Although positive symptom severity is thought to be positively associated with help-seeking among youth in the general population, relations between other types of symptoms – e.g., negative symptoms or affective symptoms – and help-seeking remain somewhat unclear. The current study examined relations among self-reported mental health symptoms, internalized stigma, and intent to seek mental health treatment in a community sample of youth who were not currently engaged in treatment (N = 601, M age = 21.24). Participants were categorized into two clinical groups – those who scored at or above threshold, and those who scored below threshold on psychosis risk screening tools. Internalized stigma partially mediated the relation between positive symptom severity and intent to seek treatment and was positively associated with intent to seek treatment in the sample. Negative symptoms and general symptoms were each positively associated with internalized stigma and intent, controlling for positive symptoms. The relation between internalized stigma and intent did not appear to differ by clinical group. Among different types of internalized stigma, alienation was uniquely associated with intent to seek treatment in the full sample, with higher levels of alienation predicting greater intent. Findings highlight the complex interplay between symptoms, stigma, and help-seeking experiences among community youth and may inform early intervention efforts for this population.
Oppression and Anti-oppression in Clinical Psychology
(2023-01-01) Abraham, Munazza Saalim; Hunter, Bronwyn; Murphy, Chris; Psychology; Psychology
Traditional clinical psychology programs do not require anti-oppression training or specific social justice and empowerment practices, compared to some social work and counseling programs. Therefore, it follows that clinical psychology students, faculty, and practitioners rarely know how or when to address oppression with diverse groups and within diverse contexts. The current pilot study represents initial steps towards developing anti-oppression training for clinical psychologists and trainees, grounded in the bystander intervention theory by Latané and Darley (1970). The first major step was to conduct in-depth interviews to qualitatively explore how clinical psychologists and trainees’ have witnessed, experienced, and/or perpetuated oppression in clinical psychology settings (classroom, supervision, and therapy settings); and, based on their experiences, what are suggestions towards anti-oppression. This first step informs anti-oppression training goals and content. The second major step was to survey a diverse range of clinical psychologists and trainees from across the United States — such as graduate student trainees, faculty members, and practicing clinicians — to also quantitatively assess to what extent they have witnessed, experienced, and/or perpetuated oppression in their field as well as assess the acceptability and feasibility of anti-oppression training in clinical psychology. This step further informs anti-oppression training goals as well as structure. This research is important, because, while the literature may support the need for anti-oppression training, the prospective trainees and training programs must also acknowledge this need to initiate training implementation and success. Results showed that among clinical psychologists and trainees in the sample (N = 51), the majority reported witnessing and personally experiencing oppression, and a little less than a quarter reported perpetuating oppression in clinical psychology settings. Additionally, the majority of participants reported high perceived responsibility, yet relatively low confidence in their current skills to address oppression. Furthermore, participants reported substantial acceptability and perceived need for anti-oppression training while also providing several suggestions on what anti-oppression training can look like (i.e., decentering whiteness, learning how to identify oppression, role playing on how to address oppression, etc.). While additional research may be needed, study results can inform future training for clinical psychologists and trainees to become active bystanders in anti-oppression praxis.
Introduction to Pedagogical Possibilities for Early Childhood Education
(MDPI, 2024-08-12) Stites, Michele; Sonnenschein, Susan

Browse

Recent Submissions