Examining Black Males' Life Course Exposures to Police-Involved Violence, Trauma, and Death

Black males are disproportionately the victims of police-involved violence, yet few studies have examined their narratives of trauma and bereavement resulting from police encounters. Using a modified grounded theory approach, we analyzed the semi-structured interviews of 40 black males (ages 18 – 24) in Baltimore. Findings identified police-involved violence as a persistent traumatic stressor that progressed from witnessing police-involved violence in childhood to experiencing harassment, intimidation, and injury in adolescence and emerging adulthood. Thirteen percent of study participants disclosed losing a loved one to police-involved violence and injustice was a key dimension of grief for these participants. Early life exposures to police violence fostered a precociousness about black male vulnerability to racial profiling, injury, and death by police. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Objectives

To analyze life course exposures to police-involved violence among black males ages 18-24.To examine black males narratives of trauma and homicide bereavement resulting from violent police encounters.To identify policy and practice implications to support the health and healing of black males exposed to police-involved violence.

Links Between Depressive Symptoms and Marital Satisfaction in African American Couples.

The current study assesses the longitudinal links between depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction among heterosexual, Black, romantic partners and how experiences of discrimination might moderate their potential bidirectional relation. Data come from 168 Black married and cohabitating parents who reported on depressive symptoms, martial satisfaction, and experiences with discrimination over two years. Findings reveal that, for both men and women, depressive symptoms predicted lower marital satisfaction for self and partner and that, when women report higher than average levels of discrimination, men’s marital satisfaction positively predicted women’s depressive symptoms one year later. The findings highlight the importance of examining these associations among Black couples within the context of perceived discrimination. 

Objectives

Participants will be able to describe the relation between depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction among heterosexual Black couplesParticipants will recognize how experiences with discrimination moderate the association between depressive symptoms and marital satisfaction for Black couplesParticipants will be able to articulate how family and interpersonal theories may be applied to characterize the associations among depressive symptoms, marital satisfaction, and discrimination

Weathering Racism, How Discrimination, Race, and Skin Color Hurts Relationships

The current study extends family stress theory by examining the ways that discrimination impacts determinants of relationship satisfaction via individuals’ psychosocial functioning. Utilizing a sample of 86 Latino and African American (Mage = 20.69, SD = 1.20) emerging adults, we examined the relation between discrimination and relationships satisfaction, and whether anger, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem mediated this association. Findings indicated that discrimination predicted greater anger, and in turn, lower relationship satisfaction. Related, discrimination predicted lower self-esteem which, in turn, predicted higher levels of relationships satisfaction. Depression did not mediate the association. Findings extend literature by linking racial discrimination to relationship satisfaction, and underscore the importance of examining the ways that the effects of discrimination extend beyond individual well-being to influence relationships.

Objectives

To assess whether racial discrimination negatively impacts perceptions of relationship satisfaction among racial ethnic minority emerging adults. To test whether anger, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem mediate the association between racial discrimination and relationship satisfaction.  To examine the moderating role of racial identification and skin tone on the association between racial discrimination and psychosocial health (i.e., anger, depressive symptoms and self-esteem).

Racial Discrimination and Academic and Social Engagement: Does Racial Socialization and Skin Tone Matter for African American and Hispanic Students at PWIs?

Relations between perceived racial discrimination, parental racial/ethnic socialization (r/e), and skin tone were examined to determine the effects of these variables on academic and social integration experiences of African American and Hispanic students (N= 145) at a Predominately White Institution (PWI). Hierarchical regressions suggest associations between perceived racial discrimination and lower academic and social integration outcomes. Effects of r/e socialization on academic and social integration outcomes varied according to the type of message received. Skin tone had a moderating effect on racial discrimination and academic and social integration outcomes for females. Finding suggest that race-related matters may remain salient at PWIs.

Objectives

To examine the relation between student perceptions of racial discrimination and student perceptions of academic and social integration experiences. To determine whether parental r/e socialization messages moderate the relation between student perceptions of racial discrimination and perceptions of academic and social integration experiences.To determine whether skin tone moderates the relation between student perceptions of racial discrimination and perceptions of academic and social integration experiences.

A Double-Edged Sword: Dual-Identity Integration and Well-Being Among Asian American Sexual Minorities

Asian-American sexual minorities go through a dynamic process of dual-identity integration with regard to their racial and sexual identities. However, it remains unknown if, and how, this process affects their well-being. Our study assessed a latent variable path model using SEM in order to investigate two distinct mediational paths through which dual-identity integration may positively and negatively affect the well-being of Asian American sexual minorities. Results suggest dual-identity integration acts as a double edged sword, whereby the process leads to positive health outcomes through increased outness to others. In contrast, it also led to negative health outcomes through increased experiences of discomfort in their racial/ethnic community. Implications are discussed.

Objectives

1) To evaluate a model informing the health and well-being of Asian American sexual minorities2) To demonstrate the importance of racial/ethnic community comfort in informing the health of Asian American sexual minorities3) To elevate the experiences of an understudied minority group and contribute to furthering the conference theme of families in their "cultural intersections"