General And Culturally Specific Factors Influencing Black And White Rape Survivors' Self-Esteem

Grounded in a culturally inclusive ecological model of sexual assault recovery framework, the influence of personal (e.g., prior victimization), rape context (e.g., degree of injury during last assault), and postrape response factors (e.g., general and cultural attributions, rape related coping) on self-esteem of Black and White college women, who were survivors of attempted and completed rape, were examined. As predicted, Black and White women identified similar general variables (e.g., general attributions) as important in the recovery process. Black women, however, identified a cultural factor (i.e., cultural attributions) as more important in influencing their reactions to the last rape compared to their White counterparts. Using path analysis, findings from this cross-sectional study indicated that severity of the last assault and prior victimization were related to lower self-esteem indirectly through avoidance coping strategies, and victim blame attributions for the latter. Results also suggested that the link between cultural attributions and self-esteem was explained through victim blame attributions, primarily for Black participants. The model accounted for 26% of variance in self-esteem.     

In Protection of Ourselves: Black Girls' Perceptions of Self-Reported Delinquent Behaviors

The purpose of this study was to explore Black adolescent girls' perceptions of self-reported delinquent behaviors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 Black girls enrolled in alternative schools designated for "delinquent" adolescents. Using dimensional analysis, two general categories emerged from the data: defending/protecting self and self-interest. All of the girls indicated that they used aggressive behaviors to protect themselves from perceived threats. Generally, the girls protected themselves using two strategies: "Hold off" strategies were used to avoid physical and/or verbal conflicts, and "face down" strategies were used to physically confront threats. To a lesser degree, girls discussed gaining materially from specific behaviors ( e.g., stealing and lying). One important implication of this research study is that aggressive Black girls may often perceive their environment to be hostile and nonsupportive. Consequently, support needs to be provided for Black girls who engage in aggressive behaviors.     

Physical activity and sedentary behavior: a population-based study of barriers, enjoyment, and preference.

The associations of physical activity and sedentary behavior with barriers, enjoyment, and preferences were examined in a population-based mail survey of 1,332 adults. Respondents reporting high enjoyment and preference for physical activity were more likely to report high levels of activity. Those reporting cost, the weather, and personal barriers to physical activity were less likely to be physically active. Preference for sedentary behavior was associated with the decreased likelihood of being physically active, and the weather a barrier to physical activity was associated with the increased likelihood of sedentary behavior. These constructs can be used to examine individual and environmental influences on physical activity and sedentary behavior in specific populations and could inform the development of targeted interventions.