Get the Message: Targeting Beliefs to Develop Risk Reduction Intervention Messages for African American Adolescents

Risk reduction interventions that promote condom use, a vital component of most HIV prevention interventions, have been successful in increasing condom use among African American adolescents. Understanding theoretical components that lead to behavior change and selecting relevant risk reduction messages remain important considerations for targeting new interventions and tailoring existing interventions. The present study sought to (1) identify the most important theoretical determinants of condom use intention in African American adolescent males and females, separately, using the integrative model of behavior prediction, and (2) identify underlying beliefs within the determinants that were good candidates for message development in similar interventions. Using 446 African American adolescents, multi‐group SEM indicated that the gender‐specific IM exhibited a better fit than the overall model. Specifically, the IM had a stronger capacity for predicting condom use intention and condom use behavior for adolescent boys. Using a specific criteria for message selection, specific condom use beliefs were discussed as potential candidate messages for both African American males and females.     

The Religion–Health Connection Among African Americans: What Is the Role of Social Capital?

Researchers have expressed growing interest in factors that may explain the relationship between religious involvement and health‐related outcomes. Faith‐based organizations are a significant institution in African American communities, both serving religious/spiritual needs and providing an important source of social capital. These communities often suffer a disproportionate burden of health conditions as well. The present study examined the role of social capital (social support, interconnectedness, and community participation) in the relationship between religious involvement (beliefs and behaviours) and physical and emotional functioning and depressive symptoms, among a national probability sample of African Americans (N = 803). Participants completed telephone interviews. We used structural equation modelling to test hypotheses based on the theoretical model. Results indicate that interconnectedness played a modest mediational role in the relationship between religious behaviours/participation and depressive symptoms. Interconnectedness was predictive of fewer depressive symptoms and marginally with better emotional functioning. Findings highlight the importance of trust in and commitment to one's community for health and have implications for community‐based health promotion initiatives. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Healing Without Waging War: Beyond Military Metaphors in Medicine and HIV Cure Research

Military metaphors are pervasive in biomedicine, including HIV research. Rooted in the mind set that regards pathogens as enemies to be defeated, terms such as “shock and kill” have become widely accepted idioms within HIV cure research. Such language and symbolism must be critically examined as they may be especially problematic when used to express scientific ideas within emerging health-related fields. In this article, philosophical analysis and an interdisciplinary literature review utilizing key texts from sociology, anthropology, history, and Chinese and African studies were conducted to investigate the current proliferation of military metaphors. We found the use of these metaphors to be ironic, unfortunate, and unnecessary. To overcome military metaphors we propose to (1) give them less aggressive meanings, and/or (2) replace them with more peaceful metaphors. Building on previous authors' work, we argue for the increased use of “journey” (and related) metaphors as meaningful, cross-culturally appropriate alternatives to military metaphors.     

Father Knows Best: Paternal Presence and Sexual Debut in African‐American Adolescents Living in Poverty

Adolescents found within single‐parent families without a residential father have reported higher levels of sexual debut and higher levels of reported pregnancy. Using data from the Mobile Youth Survey, the purpose of this study is to determine the impact of the presence of a father figure on the sexual debut of African‐American adolescents living in poverty and to determine if gender moderates the relationship between the presence of a father figure and sexual debut. Additionally, this study will examine the family processes in which the presence of a father figure can affect the sexual debut of African‐American adolescents who live within economically and socially disadvantaged communities. The results revealed that African‐American adolescents reporting a father figure had lower rates of sexual debut than those youth reporting no father figure. Gender was not found to be a significant moderator in the relationship between father figure presence and sexual debut. However, existing curfews and family rules did account for some of the effects of presence of a father figure and sexual debut. The results suggest that when adolescents have a father figure in their lives, it may reduce the possibility of early sexual debut.     

Looking good or doing good? Motivations for organisational citizenship behaviour in Turkish versus South Korean collectivists

The purpose of this article is to explore potential motivations to perform organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) in collectivistic Turkish and South Korean societies. Although collectivism has been proposed as a predictor of OCB, previous research has not fully explored the possibility that collectivistic individuals' OCB may result from their self‐oriented motives (i.e. social desirability concerns) or their future‐oriented motives (i.e. long‐term orientation concerns). We predicted that OCB stems from social desirability concerns among Turkish collectivists, meaning it is used for maintaining a positive image within the organisation. However, for South Korean collectivists, we predicted that OCB stems from their long‐term orientation concerns, meaning it is used to make the organisation better. The results were in line with our predictions, and the findings are discussed in terms of their implications for firms in collectivistic societies.     

Counselling psychology in South Africa

The origin and development of counselling psychology in South Africa has been profoundly influenced by the country’s sociopolitical history and the impact of apartheid. As a result of this, counselling psychologists in the country face a number of challenges and opportunities for the future. In this paper we provide a portrait of counselling psychology in South Africa by describing the current character of the specialty and the context in which South African psychologists work. We critically discuss the challenges that the specialty faces to meet the country’s mental health care needs, contest the current Scope of Practice; affirm multiculturalism without essentialising or reifying race and ethnicity, and build an evidence base for community interventions in the country. We also consider how, in the future, counselling psychologists in South Africa may make a more meaningful contribution within public health and the country’s health care and education systems.     

The Role of the Black Church in HIV Prevention: Exploring Barriers and Best Practices

Black people have the highest rate of HIV/AIDS infection in the USA, and they are less likely to access quality physical and mental healthcare. To address these disparities as outlined in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, there is a need for culturally congruent, innovative approaches to HIV/AIDS prevention. The first multi‐denominational national study of Black faith leaders was conducted utilizing focus groups that were held in 11 US cities. The 265 participants were faith leaders who reported involvement in such prevention practices as sponsoring HIV/AIDS workshops, integrating HIV/AIDS messaging in the worship service, hosting HIV/AIDS screenings, distributing written materials about HIV/AIDS through the bulletin or flyers, pastoral counselling, advocating for policies that provide quality healthcare to the community and disseminating HIV/AIDS prevention messages through new media such as the Church website. These findings, including attention to barriers to engagement, provide insight into innovative practices that can be integrated into faith‐based HIV/AIDS prevention programming. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Intimate Partner Violence in African Immigrant Communities in the United States: Reflections from the IDVAAC African Women’s Round Table on Domestic Violence

African women face many challenges when they come to the United States due to the immigration experience, acculturation, and leaving family members in countries of origin. Intimate partner violence (IPV) complicates African women’s experience within their home countries as well as in the United States. There is little literature on IPV in African ethnic groups. This information is even sparser regarding IPV among African immigrant and refugee communities in the United States. To better address the needs of these communities, the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community brought together service providers and survivors representing 16 different African countries to attend a roundtable and explore issues of IPV. This article highlights the unique challenges they identified.     

Health Outcomes and Attitudes Toward Female Genital Cutting in a Community-Based Sample of West African Immigrant Women from High-Prevalence Countries in New York City

Female genital cutting (FGC), a deeply rooted cultural practice with high prevalence rates in many West African countries, is considered by many to represent systematic gender-based violence and human rights violation. Although short- and long-term health consequences of FGC have been examined in studies in Africa, the experiences of women who have immigrated to the Western countries such as the United States have remained largely unexplored. We sought to examine prevalence rates of FGC, as well as differences in demographic characteristics, health outcomes, and knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs among West African immigrants. This study employed audio computer-assisted self-interviewing with a community-based sample of 68 women from Gambia, Guinea, Mali, and Sierra Leone living in New York City. The rate of FGC was 68% overall and varied significantly by country, tribe or ethnicity, and marital status. Women with FGC had a significantly higher number of live births and were more likely to report a history of vaginal pain and decreased sexual arousal, but there were no other significant differences in gynecological and obstetric outcomes, sexual functioning, or psychological outcomes. Participants also had similar rates of opposition to FGC, although women with FGC were less likely to assert human rights as a reason to end the practice. Women reported a high level of surprise and unpreparedness for the FGC procedure, and 22% reported that it was done without their parents’ consent. Long-term health consequences of FGC among women who have immigrated remain unclear, although resistance to the practice is overwhelming.     

White Psychologists and African Americans’ Historical Trauma: Implications for Practice

This article reviews and synthesizes literature on the historical trauma of African Americans with an emphasis on how White psychologists can integrate awareness of historical trauma into clinical practice. Research supports that African Americans are affected by White racism in ways that parallel the effects of other interpersonal traumas. How African Americans are affected by racism depends on the individual, although the effects on the individual also occur within a shared cultural context. In addition to negative impacts, the literature also identifies African Americans’ core strengths and coping strategies that have a similarly historical basis. These strengths and coping strategies are discussed in their implications for White psychologists’ role in African Americans’ trauma recovery process.