PTSD, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicidal Ideation in African American Women: A Mediated Model

Although research has shown positive associations among post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation, the nature of these relations is unclear, especially in African American women. This study examined the associations among these comorbid psychological difficulties in a sample of 136 low-income, African American women. Specifically, the goal of this investigation was to ascertain if overall depressive symptoms, as well as both the cognitive-affective and somatic components of depression, mediated the PTSD-suicidal ideation link. Results from bootstrapping analyses revealed that overall depressive symptoms and the cognitive-affective components of depression, but not the somatic components, mediated the PTSD-suicidal ideation link.     

Mediators of a Culturally-Sensitive Intervention for Suicidal African American Women

This study explored intervention outcomes and mechanisms that could help explain why low-income, African American women with a history of intimate partner abuse and suicide attempt improve in response to a culturally-informed intervention, the Grady Nia Project. Specifically, the investigation examined whether or not the intervention had effects on the women and whether or not spiritual well-being and coping mediated the effects of the intervention on suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms. In this randomized controlled clinical trial, data from 89 women who completed both pre- and post-intervention assessments were analyzed. During the post-intervention follow-up, women in the active intervention group reported lower levels of suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms and higher levels of existential well-being and adaptive coping skills than those women randomized to the treatment as usual group. However, only existential well-being was found to mediate treatment effects on suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms. Religious well-being, as well as adaptive and maladaptive coping, did not serve a mediational function. These findings highlight the importance of designing and implementing culturally-sensitive and evidence-based strategies that enhance existential well-being in this population.     

Person factors associated with suicidal behavior among African American women and men

This study compared person risk factors among the following groups of low-income, African American adults in an urban, public hospital: (a) suicide attempters and nonattempters, (b) male and female attempters, and (c) all 4 groups (50 female attempters, 50 female nonattempters, 50 male attempters, and 50 male nonattempters). Participants completed psychological distress, aggression, substance use, cognitive processes, religiosity/spirituality, and ethnic identity measures. Compared with nonattempters, attempters reported more psychological distress, aggression, substance use, and maladaptive coping strategies; less religiosity/spirituality; and lower levels of ethnic identity. Male attempters endorsed more substance use than female attempters. No person risk factors differentiated among the 4 groups. Assessment of person risk factors and implementation of commensurate culturally competent interventions are recommended.     

Shifting from Treatment Plans to Action Plans: Solidifying the Therapeutic Alliance

This article summarizes the evolution of my theoretical orientation and treatment intervention style over the past thirty-something years. It discusses the pathways taken, influences felt, and experiences that have contributed to my expanding mindset and current therapeutic modus operandi, progressing from past to present. As to what will be in the future, that is difficult to predict as the metamorphosis keeps happening, although some components remain essential ingredients and provide grounding and balance. Que será, será sums up the future succinctly.     

Factors influencing continuation in a behavioral therapy

One hundred and forty-seven depressed women who either completed, dropped-out of or refused a 10-week, self-control, group therapy program were compared on: demographic variables, depression indices, depression theory-related performances, personality variables and attitudes about therapy. Compared with treatment Completers, treatment Refusers presented a more acute crisis, reported a rapid onset of depression, had experienced fewer prior depressive episodes and were most likely to receive a diagnosis of situational (reactive) depression. Results also indicated that individuals of higher SES and those who endorsed expectancies congruent with the offered treatment rationale were most likely to continue in treatment.     

Long Lasting Marriages in Chile

Reports the Chilean segment of a multicultural, multicountry (Canada, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, South Africa, Sweden, USA) study on long-term marriages. This pilot study is seen as a starting point in research focusing on the childhood background and family history of long-term marital partners in Chile. No statistically significant association between marital satisfaction and economic or educational level was found. A positive correlation was found between marital satisfaction and happiness during childhood. Love, trust, and loyalty appear to be the main ingredients of satisfaction for both satisfied and unsatisfied couples. The findings across countries as to the essential ingredients reported here have been remarkably similar.     

Sex Differences, Attributional Style, and Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents

This study examined attributional style, sex, and depressive symptoms and diagnosis in high school students. The results revealed that (1) for females and males, higher levels of depressive symptoms correlated with a more depressive attributional style; (2) females and males who met diagnostic criteria for a current depressive disorder evidenced more depres-sogenic attributions than psychiatric controls, and never and past depressed adolescents; (3) although no sex differences in terms of attributional patterns for positive events, negative events, or for positive and negative events combined emerged, sex differences were revealed on a number of dimensional scores; (4) across the Children's Attributional Style Questionnaire (CASQ) subscale and dimensional scores, the relation between attributions and current self-reported depressive symptoms was stronger for females than males; and (5) no Sex × Diagnostic Group Status interaction effects emerged for CASQ subscale or dimensional scores. Implications of the complex findings from this large-scale, methodologically sophisticated study are addressed.     

Enter the prenuptial: A prelude to marriage or remarriage

Although prenuptial agreements have existed in the United States for many decades, they did not catapult into the public foreground during the courtship/engagement/just before marriage or remarriage stage of the life cycle until the 1980s. In the past decade, this particular kind of document has received a great deal of attention in the media, in lawyers' offices, and in courtrooms. This article explores the raison d'ěre of antenuptials and their psychological, familial, and legal ramifications. Some guidelines are offered to defuse the high anxiety they arouse in some individuals as well as to provide signals as to when the contents of the prenuptial herald “danger” ahead. The potential positive aspects of both psychosocial prenuptial accords and legal prenuptial agreements are explored as is the role of the psychologist as therapist or “mediator” when a prenuptial is in the offing.     

Treating holocaust survivors

Contemporary Family Therapy - There has been a substantial body of literature on the political, economic and emotional legacy of the holocaust on the victims who survived and their families. It has...     

Psychosocial Considerations in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD): The Transition from Adolescence to Young Adulthood

Sickle cell disease (SCD) occurs in 1 of every 400 to 500 African American births. Despite its prevalence, there has been a relative dearth of attention paid to SCD in the psychological literature. African American SCD adolescents and young adults, individuals at an already vulnerable developmental stage, are at increased risk for psychological distress and psychosocial impairments (e.g., depression and low self-esteem, poor social and academic/vocational functioning). Such difficulties often result in problematic adherence to medical regimens, and thus represent a potentially serious clinical and public health problem that merits the attention of psychologists working in medical settings. This article (1) reviews the psychosocial needs peculiar to SCD patients transitioning from adolescence to young adulthood; (2) applies a culturally informed stress-coping-adjustment framework to assess and address the psychological status, psychosocial functioning, and disease outcomes of these individuals; and (3) describes a culturally and developmentally sensitive, psychoeducational group intervention.