Resilience in Development: A Synthesis of Research across Five Decades

There is a pressing need to enhance the availability and quality of mental health services provided to persons from historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups. Many previous authors have advocated that traditional mental health treatments be modified to better match clients' cultural contexts. Numerous studies evaluating culturally adapted interventions have appeared, and the present study used meta-analytic methodology to summarize these data. Across 76 studies the resulting random effects weighted average effect size was d = .45, indicating a moderately strong benefit of culturally adapted interventions. Interventions targeted to a specific cultural group were four times more effective than interventions provided to groups consisting of clients from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Interventions conducted in clients' native language (if other than English) were twice as effective as interventions conducted in English. Recommendations are provided for improving the study of outcomes associated with mental health interventions adapted to the cultural context of the client. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

/pdf/culturally-adapted-mental-health-intervention-a-meta-wekn8xsfco.pdf

Culturally adapted mental health intervention: A meta-analytic review.

Normative beliefs have been defined as self-regulating beliefs about the appropriateness of social behaviors. In 2 studies the authors revised their scale for assessing normative beliefs about aggression, found that it is reliable and valid for use with elementary school children, and investigated the longitudinal relation between normative beliefs about aggression and aggressive behavior in a large sample of elementary school children living in poor urban neighborhoods. Using data obtained in 2 waves of observations 1 year apart, the authors found that children tended to approve more of aggression as they grew older and that this increase appeared to be correlated with increases in aggressive behavior. More important, although individual differences in aggressive behavior predicted subsequent differences in normative beliefs in younger children, individual differences in aggressive behavior were predicted by preceding differences in normative beliefs in older children.

/pdf/children-s-normative-beliefs-about-aggression-and-aggressive-4xtfb4da6p.pdf

Children's normative beliefs about aggression and aggressive behavior

A biopsychosocial model of the development of adolescent chronic conduct problems is presented and supported through a review of empirical findings. This model posits that biological dispositions and sociocultural contexts place certain children at risk in early life but that life experiences with parents, peers, and social institutions increment and mediate this risk. A transactional developmental model is best equipped to describe the emergence of chronic antisocial behavior across time. Reciprocal influences among dispositions, contexts, and life experiences lead to recursive iterations across time that exacerbate or diminish antisocial development. Cognitive and emotional processes within the child, including the acquisition of knowledge and social-information-processing patterns, mediate the relation between life experiences and conduct problem outcomes. Implications for prevention research and public policy are noted.

/pdf/a-biopsychosocial-model-of-the-development-of-chronic-qtmmukthdp.pdf

A Biopsychosocial Model of the Development of Chronic Conduct Problems in Adolescence

The authors reviewed scores of primary prevention programs to identify preventive interventions that had undergone quasi-experimental or randomized trials and been found to reduce symptoms of psychopathology (aggression, depression, or anxiety) or factors commonly associated with an increased risk for later mental disorders. In this review, the authors identify and describe 34 universal and targeted interventions that have demonstrated positive outcomes under rigorous evaluation. The authors go on to examine common characteristics of successful prevention programs and make recommendations based on these characteristics for policy and practice in school- and communitybased prevention of childhood psychopathology.

The Prevention of Mental Disorders in School-Aged Children: Current State of the Field

African-American male adolescents face disproportionate risk for death or injury resulting from assaultive violence. This article presents a public health framework for examining the problem and developing interventions. A brief interdisciplinary review of research is provided on the nature and extent of the problem, its etiology, and current approaches to prevention. Attention is called to intra- and intergroup differences in patterns among White and ethnic minority youth and to specific theories and research about assaultive violence among young African-American men. Emerging imperatives in the search for solutions are identified, emphasizing the need for cultural sensitivity in the design of preventive interventions and an expanded role for psychologists in the public health response to this critical health problem.

Psychology's role in the public health response to assaultive violence among young African-American men

Homicide and nonfatal injuries resulting from interpersonal violence are significant contributors to the excess early mortality and morbidity of African-American youth. Although there is growing recognition of the need for prevention programs specifically directed to these youth, culturally relevant programs to reduce aggression and victimization in high-risk racial and ethnic groups are virtually nonexistent. This article reports preliminary findings of a program to train African-American adolescents in social skills, an approach which shows promise as a means of preventing violence. The pilot study suggests a need for continued research on this and other prevention approaches to reduce the disproportionate--and preventable--risk of injury or death for this vulnerable population. VioLit summary: OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study by Hammond and Yung was to report preliminary findings of a program, Positive Adolescents Choices Training (PACT), designed to teach African-American youth social skills to aid in prevention of violence. Prevention programs that are culturally relevant and that reduce aggression and victimization, aimed for at-risk youth, are extremely rare. This work is based on the theory that violence is a public health issue, and that violence breeds future violence. Black on black violence is thought by Oliver (p. 361) to be produced by "structural pressures (e.g., racism and resulting self-deprecation) and dysfunctional cultural adaptations to those pressures" (p. 361). Though the actual roots of violence are not understood, correlates include occurrence among family members, friends and acquaintances rather than strangers. Age, race, social status, education, and personal characteristics tend to be similar among perpetrators and victims of violence, and often the reasons for the violent act are very trivial. PACT is a program targeted to African-American adolescents, that stresses health promotion and risk reduction, by focusing on areas such as communication, negotiation and problem-solving. It promotes social skills to help these adolescents form and keep relationships free of violence. METHODOLOGY: This study used an experimental design with an experimental and control group, not random in assignment. Ratings of the six skill areas were done with both groups pre and post. The training program for the experimental group consisted of 50-minute sessions at the school twice a week for the semester, totalling 37 or 38 sessions. The sessions, conducted by African-American doctoral students in clinical psychology, focused on giving positive and negative feedback, accepting negative feedback, resisting peer pressure, problem-solving, and negotiating. It was modeled on the ASSET curriculum of Hazel and colleagues (p. 365). Skills were shown through vignettes on videotape, and participants were then able to observe and practice each skill with their peers, and to observe themselves on videotape using these skills. Incentives were used to reward appropriate behavior. Selection of the trainees was done by teachers, based on observed deficiencies in interaction skills, behavior problems such as aggression, or history of victimization by violence. Trained observers (graduate-level psychology students) were used to assess skills pre and post, with no knowledge of whether individuals were in the training program. Assessments were also done by 16 teachers (who did know the student's involvement in the training program) and by the students themselves. School records were also used to compile the aggressive behavior indicators, and to document suspensions and expulsions. Two other skills not taught were evaluated (conversation and following directions) to see if other areas were affected. There were no statistical analyses done on the data collected. Charts were provided which showed such things as percentage of improvement in the various skills of those who completed training. Two charts compared the experimental and control groups. One was a rating by teachers of the changes in skills within the groups, and the other was a chart of the number of suspensions pre and post of the groups, with the partly trained group separated from the fully trained. FINDINGS/DISCUSSION: Participants in the full training program improved in all targeted areas, as well as the two non-targeted areas. The greatest gains were observed (by the trained observers) in the areas with the need for the most improvement. These areas were: giving negative feedback, problem-solving, and resisting peer pressure, with an average gain across the areas of 33.5%. The teacher ratings were very closely matched with the observer ratings. Both teachers and observers perceived greater gains in targeted skills for PACT-trained youth than for untrained youth (30.4% increase versus 1.1% loss). Students also felt there had been improvement, except in the skill of problem-solving. The skills with the greatest improvement were giving and accepting negative feedback, as perceived by the students. The school records of suspensions and expulsions showed that after training, students differed from the untrained in that area. "Preliminary findings suggest that PACT improves youths' communication (i.e., giving and receiving negative and positive feedback), problem-solving, and negotiation skills, which are assumed to relate positively to one's ability to solve relationship problems nonviolently. Indeed, this early evidence of positive results has provided an impetus for refinements to the PACT program" (pp. 369-370). AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS: Results need to be interpreted with caution, due to small sample size (12 fully trained participants). There is a need for longitudinal follow-up to see if the improvements in skills persist over time, and translate to settings outside the training sessions. Other approaches need to be explored, such as multiskill training programs, with anger management, moral reasoning, developing racial pride, and companion parent training. The problem of youth violence and homicide is morally and economically tragic, and multilevel solutions must be sought. Racism and poverty must also be addressed, as they relate to violence and impede equality and access to opportunity. "Ultimately, community resource development, the improvement of public education, and equitable law and policy will reduce the risk of violence for all Americans." (p. 371) EVALUATION: Since the methodology consisted of rather subjective observations, the study was rather incomplete in its analysis. The charts included also were incomplete, in that they did not include any comparisons between the experimental and control groups by the least subjective evaluators, the observers. The number was indeed very small, and there were only two trained observers doing the ratings without knowledge of the participation of the individual. (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado) KW - African American Violence KW - At Risk Juvenile KW - At Risk Youth KW - Conflict Resolution KW - Juvenile Violence KW - Juvenile Offender KW - Violence Prevention KW - Prevention Program KW - Program Evaluation KW - Prosocial Skills KW - Social Skills Development KW - Sociocultural Factors KW - African American Offender KW - African American Juvenile KW - Health Promotion KW - Risk Reduction KW - Culturally Sensitive KW - Public Health Approach KW - Communication Skills KW - Problem Solving Skills KW - School Based KW - Social Skills Training KW - Prevention Education KW - Education Program KW - Public Health Approach Language: en

Preventing violence in at-risk African-American youth

Neurocognitive skills moderate urban male adolescents' responses to preventive intervention materials.

https://psycnet.apa.org/journals/pro/24/1/3.pdf

Minority student recruitment and retention practices among schools of professional psychology: a national survey and analysis

The health status and health outcomes of many ethnic minorities have remained poor, or have deteriorated, despite massive health promotion campaigns. Multiple factors that encourage ethnic minorities to engage in high-risk behaviors and those that discourage health promotive behaviors must be closely examined before any health interventions are likely to be successful in decreasing substance abuse, high-risk sex, accidental deaths and injuries, and violence. Cultural and contextual factors may put some ethnic minorities in jeopardy and at higher risk for poorer health than their White counterparts (B. W. K. Yee, 1995, in press). This review article identifies contributing factors in high-risk behaviors and highlights research gaps for Americans of African, Indian, Asian and Pacific Islander, and Hispanic descent. Language: en

Betty Yung

Papers

Psychology's role in the public health response to assaultive violence among young African-American men

Preventing violence in at-risk African-American youth

Neurocognitive skills moderate urban male adolescents' responses to preventive intervention materials.

Minority student recruitment and retention practices among schools of professional psychology: a national survey and analysis

Risk-taking and abusive behaviors among ethnic minorities.