Negative Intergroup Contact and Radical Right‐Wing Voting: The Moderating Roles of Personal and Collective Self‐Efficacy

This study examines whether negative contact with immigrants promotes voting for radical right‐wing parties, to what extent this relationship can be explained by feelings of outgroup threat, and whether this relationship depends on perceived personal and collective self‐efficacy. Hypotheses were tested among 630 native Dutch respondents, mainly living in multicultural neighborhoods. The results show that negative contact with immigrants is associated with feelings of personal (egocentric) and group (sociotropic) threat, and both these feelings, in turn, are associated with radical right‐wing voting. However, negative intergroup contact is less strongly related to egocentric threat when individuals feel able to personally address negative situations with other people (personal self‐efficacy). Furthermore, the findings suggest that negative intergroup contact is less strongly related to sociotropic threat when individuals believe that people in their neighborhood are able to collectively address some negative situations (collective self‐efficacy).     

Intuitive Political Theory: People's Judgments About How Groups Should Decide

Societies must make collective decisions even when citizens disagree, and they use many different political processes to do so. But how do people choose one way to make a group decision over another? We propose that the human mind contains an intuitive political theory about how to make collective decisions, analogous to people's intuitive theories about language, physics, number, minds, and morality. We outline a simple method for studying people's intuitive political theory using scenarios about group decisions, and we begin to apply this approach in three experiments. Participants read scenarios in which individuals in a group have conflicting information (Experiment 1), conflicting interests (Experiment 2), and conflicting interests between a majority and a vulnerable minority who have more at stake (Experiment 3). Participants judged whether the group should decide by voting, consensus, leadership, or chance. Overall, we find that participants prefer majority‐rule voting over consensus, leadership, and chance when a group has conflicting interests or information. However, participants' support for voting is considerably diminished when the group includes a vulnerable minority. Hence, participants showed an intuitive understanding of Madison's concerns about tyranny of the majority.     

Thriving and Ethnic Discrimination: A Mixed‐Methods Study

Using mixed methodology, the authors examined facilitators to psychological thriving—or positive changes after adversity—in the context of ethnic discrimination among Latina/o adults. Several themes emerged from qualitative interviews (n = 10), including proving others wrong, ethnic identity, and community involvement. Quantitative analyses (n = 97) indicated that U.S. identity moderated the relationship between ethnic microaggressions and thriving such that high levels of U.S. identity were associated with lower thriving. Implications and future directions are discussed. Usando una metodología mixta, los autores examinaron los facilitadores de la prosperidad psicológica (o cambios positivos tras la adversidad) en el contexto de la discriminación étnica en personas latinas adultas. Varios temas surgieron de las entrevistas cualitativas (n = 10), entre los que se incluyen demostrar que otros estaban equivocados, la identidad étnica y la implicación de la comunidad. Los análisis cuantitativos (n = 97) indicaron que la identidad estadounidense moderó la relación entre las microagresiones étnicas y la prosperidad de tal modo que unos altos niveles de identidad estadounidense se asociaron con una baja prosperidad. Se discuten las implicaciones y direcciones futuras.     

Stress in Relation to Anxiety and Depression Among Racial/Ethnic Minority Women: The Differential Impact of Cultural Mismatch on Somatic and Cognitive Symptoms

The study examined the interactive effects of stress and cultural mismatch, as evidenced by low independent self‐construal, in relation to cognitive/somatic symptoms of anxiety and depression among racial/ethnic minority women. Results showed that stress and independent self‐construal work synergistically to differentially affect cognitive, rather than somatic, symptoms of anxiety and depression. Findings highlight the importance of investigating the interplay between stress and contextual factors to improve current treatment models for marginalized groups. El estudio examinó los efectos interactivos del estrés y la discordancia cultural, probados por un bajo autoconcepto independiente, en relación con los síntomas cognitivos/somáticos de la ansiedad y la depresión entre mujeres de minorías raciales/étnicas. Los resultados mostraron que el estrés y el autoconcepto independiente trabajan en sinergia para afectar diferencialmente a los síntomas cognitivos, no así a los somáticos, de la ansiedad y la depresión. Los hallazgos subrayan la importancia de investigar la interacción entre el estrés y los factores contextuales para mejorar los modelos de tratamiento actuales para grupos marginalizados.     

An Ethical Imperative: Effectively Reducing SGM Disparities Utilizing a Multi-Level Intervention Approach

Health disparities for sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations are well documented and manifest systemically. Mental health professionals have begun working to address these disparities, demonstrating efforts to more effectively define and increase competency in SGM health and by adapting existing evidence-based interventions to more effectively target the unique needs of the SGM community. While such efforts are necessary, they inadequately address the systemic nature of the problem, placing an unnecessary burden on SGM individuals to tolerate systemic discrimination, injustice, and inequality. The current special series attempts to address this gap by featuring papers that describe multilevel (e.g., micro, mezzo, macro) intervention approaches to reduce SGM health disparities. We argue that advocacy is inherent to the work, and we hope that this special series will empower mental health professionals to engage in multilevel, systemic interventions as an ethical imperative.     

Psychotherapy for the Spectrum of Sexual Minority Stress: Application and Technique of the ESTEEM Treatment Model

Converging evidence points to minority stress as a risk factor that predisposes sexual minority individuals to a variety of negative psychosocial health outcomes, particularly depression and anxiety, substance use, and sexual risk-taking. This paper outlines the techniques and theoretical underpinnings for implementing an emerging empirically supported psychotherapy designed to target the transdiagnostic mechanisms linking sexual minority stress with these outcomes. We outline the essential therapeutic principles, psychoeducation content, as well as session- and homework-based activities that can be adapted for a variety of presenting problems that originate from, and are exacerbated by, minority stress via transdiagnostic minority stress processes. As the development and dissemination of this therapeutic model is still within its early stages, we review the intervention’s empirical support thus far and outline potential directions for future development and dissemination via individual, clinic-based, and societal channels.     

National versus ethnic identification in countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)

This study investigated relationships between national and ethnic identities in eleven countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Ethnic versus national identification, experiences of unfair treatment of ethnic groups, and like versus dislike of out-group neighbours were investigated. Round 6 Afrobarometer surveys data from Botswana (n?=?1 200), Lesotho (n?=?1 200), Madagascar (n?=?1 200); Malawi (n?=?2 400), Mauritius (n?=?1 200), Mozambique (n?=?2 400), Namibia (n?=?1 200), South Africa (n?=?2 400), Tanzania (n?=?2 400), Zambia (n?=?1 200), and Zimbabwe (n?=?2 400) were utilised for the analysis. Majorities of respondents in most countries, especially in those with a dominant majority group, identified equally as much with the nation and ethnic group, or more with the nation. However, ethnic identities remain relevant despite nation-building strategies, even in relatively ethno-culturally homogeneous countries. Ethnic identity salience was enhanced by unfair treatment. Findings suggest recognition and accommodation of diversity to be a prospective strategy to foster stability and peace.     

Managing dyspraxia: Pre-school teachers’ perceptions,experiences and strategies

Dyspraxia is a childhood developmental disorder that manifests as a difficulty in thinking, planning, and executing planned movements or tasks. Dyspraxia affects approximately 5–6% of school-aged children. This study aimed to explore pre-school teachers’ awareness and understanding of dyspraxia, and the support they desire for teaching children with dyspraxia. Informants were 15 pre-school teachers from the Cape Peninsula, South Africa (black = 1; coloured/mixed race = 13; white = 1). The teachers completed semi-structured interviews regarding their awareness and knowledge of dyspraxia and the support they require to better facilitate the learners’ development. A thematic analysis of the data suggested that the teachers were aware of the behavioural and cognitive difficulties associated with dyspraxia and that they need to seek professional development to enhance their management of children with dyspraxia. Early intervention strategies, in partnership with the parent carers of the children, appear to hold good prospects for the successful management of dyspraxia among school-aged children.     

Personal value preferences,group identifications,and cultural practices of Palestinian Israelis working in close contact with Jewish Israelis

The present study investigates the connection between personal value preferences, group identifications, and cultural practices among Palestinian Israelis working in close contact with the Jewish population in Israel. One hundred twenty-two Palestinian Israelis participated in the study. The participants were employed in different professional positions in the Tel Aviv Metropolitan area and were recruited to the study using the snowball technique. A stronger national identification was associated with a higher preference for the security and conformity values, and a lower preference for the humility values. A stronger ethnic identification was associated with a lower preference for the security, power, and stimulation values. Group identifications mediated the connection between personal value preferences and cultural practices. A longer time working in close contact with the majority group and less frequent visits home were associated with a greater adherence to the majority group’s cultural practices but not with adherence to the ethnic group’s practices and not with the group identifications.