African American Male Adolescents Research Articles

Father-Son Communication About Consistent and Correct Condom Use.

Twenty-five father-son dyads completed semistructured interviews designed to elicit specific preferences for teaching and learning about consistent and correct condom use and strategies for addressing common condom use errors and problems. For analysis, we used in vivo coding and vertical and horizontal analysis techniques. Fathers and sons agreed that communication about condom use is feasible and acceptable. However, fathers tended to convey vague messages regarding protecting oneself from the negative consequences of sexual activity. Furthermore, both fathers and sons reported barriers hindering conversations. Secondly, the style and frequency of condom use conversations can help overcome barriers and support father-son relationship management. Talking frequently in 1-on-1 settings and using strategies to reduce discomfort made communication easier. Lastly, fathers and sons reported distinct preferences for teaching and learning about condom use. Sons wanted fathers to give specific guidance on the use and management of condoms. Fathers expressed interest in opportunities for improving their own condom knowledge and skills. Fathers identified gaps in their own condom use knowledge as a limitation to effective instruction of their sons. A father-focused communication intervention about condom use is feasible and acceptable. Enhancing the intergenerational benefits of father-son communication by addressing specific father-son preferences and learning needs for condom use instruction, as well as communication barriers, represents a novel mechanism for reducing male sexual reproductive health disparities.

Marijuana Use and Depressive Symptoms; Gender Differences in African American Adolescents.

Introduction: This study aimed to examine gender differences in the bidirectional associations between marijuana use and depressive symptoms among African American adolescents. The study also tested gender differences in the effects of socioeconomic status, maternal support, and friends’ drug use on adolescents’ depressive symptoms and marijuana use.Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the Flint Adolescent Study (FAS). Six hundred and eighty one African American adolescents (335 males and 346 females) were followed for 3 years, from 1995 (mean age 16) to 1997 (mean age 19). Depressive symptoms (Brief Symptom Inventory) and marijuana use were measured annually during the follow up. We used multi-group latent growth curve modeling to explore the reciprocal associations between depressive symptoms and marijuana use over time based on gender.Results: Baseline marijuana use was predictive of an increase in depressive symptoms over time among male but not female African American adolescents. Baseline depressive symptoms were not predictive of an increase in marijuana use among male or female adolescents.Conclusion: Study findings suggest that male African American adolescents who use marijuana are at an increased risk of subsequent depressive symptoms. Interventions that combine screening and treatment for marijuana use and depression may be indicated for African American male adolescents.

Towards an “Anatomically Correct” Model of English Language Literacy

Literacy scholar Alfred Tatum has argued for a model for literacy with African-American male adolescents that includes the particular needs and contexts of this population. He describes this as an “anatomically complete” model and bases his model on a set of four “vital signs” that, combined, help increase student achievement. In this article, I adapt Tatum’s theory to apply to English Language Learners (ELLs) and describe what an anatomically complete model of ELL literacy might look like, based on research in the fields of literacy and English Language Learning.

Father 2 Son: The Impact of African American Father-Son Sexual Communication on African American Adolescent Sons' Sexual Behaviors.

Parent–child sexual communication has been associated with reducing adolescent sexual risk behaviors. Limited research on parent–child sexual communication has been conducted on African American (AA) adolescent males who are at increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this research was to examine AA father–son sexual communication and the effect of contextual factors on the sexual risk behaviors. The final sample consisted of 96 AA adolescent males, ages 16–21 years. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the variables of interest (neighborhood characteristics, father–son closeness and connectedness, father–son communication, sexual permissiveness, condom attitudes, sexual risk behaviors). A path model was developed and tested. Results demonstrated that AA father–son closeness and connectedness were related to father–son communication. AA father–son communication was negatively related to sons’ permissiveness and positively related to condom attitudes. Sons’ permissiveness positively predicted their sexual risk behaviors. AA sons’ condom attitudes did not negatively or positively predict their sexual risk behaviors. The findings from this study demonstrate that AA father–son communication is an important factor in decreasing AA adolescent males’ sexual risk behaviors and HIV risk.

Theory-Based Behavioral Intervention Increases Mother–Son Communication About Sexual Risk Reduction Among Inner-City African-Americans

PurposeAfrican-American adolescent males are at increased risk for HIV, yet there are few sexual risk-reduction interventions targeting this population. Interventions that include mothers can influence parentingbehaviors and in turn, reduce risky behaviors in adolescents. This study tests the efficacy of the Mother–Son Health Promotion Project at increasing mother–son communication about sexual risk reduction. MethodsAfrican-American mothers with their sons (ages 10–15 years) residing in public housing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania were randomized into a HIV/sexually transmitted infections risk-reduction intervention consisting of 16 1-hour modules or an attention-matched health-promotion control intervention.Mothers and sons completed surveys pre-intervention, immediately postintervention, and at 3-, 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-months postintervention. ResultsOf 525 mother–son dyads, 366 (69.7%) completed the 24-months postintervention follow-up survey. Generalized-estimating-equations models using both mothers’ and sons’ reports revealed that over 24 months, mothers and sons in the HIV/sexually transmitted infections risk-reduction intervention were more likely to communicate about sexual health, including sexual intercourse, birth control, HIV/AIDS prevention, and condoms. Intervention efficacy was found to weaken over time. ConclusionsThis culturally grounded, theory-based intervention was efficacious in increasing mother–son communication about sexual risk reduction. The work highlights the value of the intervention toincrease parental protective factors, including communication by mothers, to decrease HIV risk behaviors of African-American adolescent males.

Impact of Maternal Support and Involvement on Coping in Adolescent Males of Color

The current study examined maternal support and maternal involvement as moderators of the association between exposure to community violence (ECV) and both violence-related and non-violence related stressors in adolescent males of color. The current study included 250 African American (61%) and Latino (39%) male adolescents from the Chicago Youth Development Study to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between community violence exposure, maternal support and involvement, and youth coping strategies. Neither maternal support nor maternal involvement were moderators of the association between ECV and coping, cross-sectionally or longitudinally. However, higher levels of both maternal support and involvement predicted lower levels of maladaptive coping with non-violence related stressors both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Maternal support and involvement were unrelated to coping with violence-related stressors. It was expected that these parenting variables would show a protective effect on the relationship with violence exposure and coping, but the results suggest that these parenting attributes have direct ameliorative effect on coping with non-violence-related stressors. However, this finding did not extend to coping with violence-related stressors, underscoring the traumatic nature of violence exposure and importance of specificity frameworks for conducting research on the impact of violence exposure.

Violent Behaviors, Weapon Carrying, and Firearm Homicide Trends in African American Adolescents, 2001–2015

African American youths have the highest risk for firearm and other weapon related homicides. This study utilized the national Youth Risk Behavior Surveys from 2001 to 2015 to assess trends in violence related behaviors and weapon carrying of African American adolescents. Our analyses found statistically significant reductions in physical fighting and weapon carrying among African American male adolescents from 2007 to 2015. Planning suicide increased in both male and female African American adolescents since 2007. In addition, the number offirearm homicides increased in African American males. African American females and males had groups of items highly predictive of weapon carrying behaviors: alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and violent risk behaviors. Both female and male students who made mostly A's or B's in school were significantly less likely to carry weapons in and out of school. Our findings indicate that firearm homicides have increased in African American adolescents, but weapon carrying in school going adolescents has significantlydeclined. School engagement and satisfactory school performance seems to have a significantprotective effect on firearm homicides and violent behavior risks in African American adolescents.

Examining a Dual-Process Model of Desensitization and Hypersensitization to Community Violence in African American Male Adolescents.

The purpose of the current study was to examine a dual-process model of reactivity to community violence exposure in African American male adolescents from urban communities. The model focused on desensitization and hypersensitization effects as well as desensitization and hypersensitization as predictors of aggressive behavior. Participants were 133 African American male high school students, mean age = 15.17 years, SD = 0.96. Participants completed measures of exposure to community violence, depressive symptoms, hyperarousal symptoms, aggressive beliefs, and aggressive behaviors at two time points. Community violence exposure predicted changes in aggression, β = .25, p = .004, and physiological arousal, β = .22, p = .010, over time, but not aggressive beliefs. The curvilinear association between community violence exposure and changes in depression over time was not significant, β = .42, p = .083, but there was a significant linear association between the exposure to community violence (ECV) and changes in levels of depression over time, β = .21, p = .014. Results indicated a significant mediation effect for hyperarousal on the association between community violence exposure and aggressive behavior, B = 0.20, 95% CI = [0.04, 0.54]. Results showed support for physiological hypersensitization, with hypersensitization increasing the risk for aggressive behavior.

Fibroblast growth factor-23 is independently associated with cardiac mass in African-American adolescent males

Left ventricular hypertrophy has been documented in hypertensive adolescents and among some with prehypertension. Obesity also appears to be associated with cardiac mass, independent of blood pressure (BP). Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a novel biomarker positively associated with left ventricular hypertrophy in adults with and without kidney disease. The aim of this study was to determine if there was a significant and independent association of FGF23 with cardiac mass in a Black American adolescent cohort including both normotensive and prehypertensive participants with and without obesity. Measurements of BP, body mass index (BMI), plasma c-terminal FGF23, and echocardiographic measures of left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were obtained in 236 adolescents, aged 13–18 years, stratified by BMI as normal, overweight, or obese. LVMI differed significantly between normal, overweight, and obese groups (30.42 ± 6.75 vs. 33.49 ± 8.65 vs. 37.26 ± 6.99 gm/m2.7; P < .01). FGF23 was significantly higher in both overweight (53.03 RU/mL) and obese (54.40 RU/mL) compared to the normal weight (32.83 RU/mL) group (both P < .01). In multiple linear regression analysis, variables significantly related to LVMI in males were BMI (P < .0001) and FGF23 (P = .005), but not BP, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, or insulin. The only significant variable associated with LVMI in females was BMI (P < .0001). In males, the contribution of FGF23 to predicting LVMI was independent of and in addition to obesity. These results suggest that FGF23 is an integral part of a complex pathway, associated with higher cardiac mass in African-Americans males with excess adiposity.

“He's More like a ‘Brother’ than a Teacher”: Politicized Caring in a Program for African American Males

Background/Context The link between care and teaching is well accepted, and positive teacher-student relationships are known to benefit students’ in-school experiences and academic success. Yet, positive teacher-student relationships are not the norm for African American males and African American male students’ experiences and performance in schools remains an issue. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study What characterizes the teacher–student relationships within the all-Black, all-male classes of this district-sponsored program? Moreover, how do the instructors for the program enact these characteristics in their classrooms? Setting This study examines a project of the Office of African American Male Achievement in Oakland, CA. The Manhood Development Program was an elective class in the high schools and an after school program at the middle schools that sought to improve Black male students’ academic success and school experiences, and teach students about their cultural and community histories. MDP classes were offered to Black male students and taught by Black male educators. Population/Participants/Subjects Based on support from and communication with the MDP facilitators and school administrators, the participants in this study include MDP instructors and their students at three high schools and one middle school within an urban school district where there are persistent, racialized disparities in rates of discipline and in levels of academic success. Research Design This article reports on a qualitative case study of the teacher–student relationships within four classrooms that were part of a program for African American male adolescents within an urban school district. Data Collection and Analysis During one academic year, four of the MDP classes were observed at least four times and videotaped at least twice. Interviews were completed with three of the class instructors and with 41% of students across the four classes. The observations and videos were analyzed for instances when teacher–student relationships were leveraged towards specific pedagogical ends. Micro-ethnographic analyses were conducted of the video instances to highlight the dimensions of caring exhibited in the teacher–student interactions. From these analyses, one interactional segment was chosen to illustrate the existence and nuances of a politically intentional form of caring. Findings/Results The MDP instructors’ sociopolitical consciousness impacts and shapes their relationships with their MDP students. MDP instructors articulate and enact specific goals around how to construct caring teacher–student relationships that stem from their intention to positively influence the lives of Black children, push back against the racialized and hegemonic institutional structure of schools. MDP instructors teach in a way that is fundamentally connected to the local community in Oakland and make a concerted effort to know, rather than stereotype, each student and to develop each students’ full potential. These relationships are intentional, political, and visible acts of care by MDP instructors that are interactionally coconstructed within their classrooms. Conclusions/Recommendations This case of politicized caring questions the premise that education and schools are, and should be, narrowly focused on developing test preparation, career-readiness, or content-specific practices. Instead, this case illustrates the alternative educational ideologies and practices of four Black educators that allow them to reclaim their social and political responsibilities and create effective, nurturing, antiracist schooling environments for Black students. This microanalysis of one of these classes offers an example of a type of caring and pedagogy that currently exists and that could be more widely available to Black students.

African-American Fathers' Perspectives on Facilitators and Barriers to Father-Son Sexual Health Communication.

African-American males ages 13 through 24 are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), accounting for over half of all HIV infections in this age group in the United States. Clear communication between African-American parents and their youth about sexual health is associated with higher rates of sexual abstinence, condom use, and intent to delay initiation of sexual intercourse. However, little is known about African-American fathers' perceptions of what facilitates and inhibits sexual health communication with their preadolescent and adolescent sons. We conducted focus groups with 29 African-American fathers of sons ages 10-15 to explore perceived facilitators and barriers for father-son communication about sexual health. Participants were recruited from barbershops in metropolitan and rural North Carolina communities highly affected by STIs and HIV, and data were analyzed using content analysis. Three factors facilitated father-son communication: (a) fathers' acceptance of their roles and responsibilities; (b) a positive father-son relationship; and (c) fathers' ability to speak directly to their sons about sex. We also identified three barriers: (a) fathers' difficulty in initiating sexual health discussions with their sons; (b) sons' developmental readiness for sexual health information; and (c) fathers' lack of experience in talking with their own fathers about sex. These findings have implications for father-focused prevention interventions aimed at reducing risky sexual behaviors in adolescent African-American males. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Perceived Dual Method Responsibilities by Relationship Type Among African-American Male Adolescents

PurposeTo describe the extent to which African-American male adolescents perceive responsibility for contraception and condom use and to understand the perceived importance of dual method use for respondents in casual versus committed relationships. MethodsData were collected using surveys informed by formative focus group sessions. Participants included African-American male high-school students aged 14–19 years from the Chicago's South Side. Respondents were surveyed regarding contraceptive behavioral intentions and perceived importance of dual method use. Responses were compared by relationship type. Logistic regression modeling was used to determine the association between contraception responsibility and perceiving dual method protection as important for each sexual relationship type. ResultsSample included 348 young men (mean age: 16.1 years; mean age at first sex: 13.8 years). Among those who had heard of condoms (99.4%) and withdrawal (90.4%), most reported liking these methods (83.7% and 53.9%). Participants were more likely to report greater responsibility within a committed relationship for all perceived contraceptive responsibilities (e.g., going with partner to get contraception). Participants were more likely to engage in conversation about pregnancy prevention with a committed partner. Among sexually active respondents, perceived contraceptive responsibility was associated with perceiving dual protection as very important (odds ratio = 1.58; 95% confidence interval = 1.05–2.38). ConclusionsRespondents felt partially responsible for pregnancy prevention, particularly within committed relationships, and were open to using dual protection. However, many respondents had low levels of contraception knowledge. These findings indicate that male African-American adolescents might benefit from increased education and support around contraception methods and condom use.

Examining the effects of emotional and cognitive desensitization to community violence exposure in male adolescents of color.

The current study examined pathways in a model of desensitization, the Pathologic Adaptation Model, in adolescent males of color. Specifically, the current study examined depressive symptoms and deviant beliefs as mediators of the association between community violence exposure and subsequent violent behavior. The current study included 250 African-American (67%) and Latino (33%) male adolescents (T1 mean age = 15.32) from the Chicago Youth Development Study. Consistent with the Pathologic Adaptation Model, results demonstrated that depressive symptoms mediated the association between the quadratic violence exposure term in middle adolescence and violent behaviors in late adolescence, but the direction of the mediation effect was dependent upon the levels of violence exposure in middle adolescence. However, deviant beliefs were not found to be a significant mediator. Emotional desensitization effects may increase the likelihood of violence perpetration in adolescent males exposed to community violence, and the implications for future research and intervention efforts are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

Firearm injuries in a pediatric population: African-American adolescents continue to carry the heavy burden

BackgroundFirearm injuries have the highest case-fatality rate among pediatric trauma related deaths. We sought to determine whether demographics, mechanism of injury, and outcomes were age specific. MethodsWe performed a 5 year retrospective analysis of patients 0–19 years old with firearm related injuries. Children were divided into two cohorts based on age. Mann-Whitney and Pearson's X2 were used to compare continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Significance was established at p < 0.05. DataCompared to their younger counterparts, children >15 years old were more likely to be male (82% vs. 90%, p = 0.02), African-American (71% vs 89%, p < 0.0001), and injured due to assault (76.9% vs 44.6%, p < 0.0001). Mortality rates for children <14 was 1.4 times the national average (10.7% vs. 7.5%) while the rate for children >15 was 3.9 times the national average (12.4% vs. 3.2%). ConclusionFirearm injuries continue to be a prevalent public health concern greatly affecting African-American adolescent males. Prevention strategies and trauma related healthcare resource utilization should target this group in order to reduce the risk of injury and improve outcomes and case-fatality in our population.

Examining the Pathologic Adaptation Model of Community Violence Exposure in Male Adolescents of Color

The current study examined a model of desensitization to community violence exposure—the pathologic adaptation model—in male adolescents of color. The current study included 285 African American (61%) and Latino (39%) male adolescents (W1 M age = 12.41) from the Chicago Youth Development Study to examine the longitudinal associations between community violence exposure, depressive symptoms, and violent behavior. Consistent with the pathologic adaptation model, results indicated a linear, positive association between community violence exposure in middle adolescence and violent behavior in late adolescence, as well as a curvilinear association between community violence exposure in middle adolescence and depressive symptoms in late adolescence, suggesting emotional desensitization. Further, these effects were specific to cognitive-affective symptoms of depression and not somatic symptoms. Emotional desensitization outcomes, as assessed by depressive symptoms, can occur in male adolescents of color exposed to community violence and these effects extend from middle adolescence to late adolescence.

One falls, we all fall: How boys of color develop close peer mentoring relationships

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to investigate the processes involved in developing close peer mentoring relationships among African American and Latino male adolescents in a school-based, group peer mentoring program. Qualitative one-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted with six school staff members, who administer the program, and 26 program participants about their experiences in the mentoring program. Data analysis revealed five program processes that led to close mentoring relationships: (a) rapport-building activities, (b) safe space, (c) mutual support, (d) group identity, and (e) trust. These processes ultimately led to bonding and friendship among program members, which further solidified the previous processes. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Spirituality, Religiosity, and Weight Management Among African American Adolescent Males: The Jackson Heart KIDS Pilot Study

ABSTRACTSpirituality and religion have been identified as important determinants of health for adults; however, the impact of faith-oriented factors on health behaviors and outcomes among African American adolescent males has not been well studied. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between religiosity and spirituality and obesity-related behaviors among 12–19 year old African American males (N = 105) in the Jackson Heart KIDS Pilot Study. Key variables of interest are church attendance, prayer, daily spirituality, weight status, attempts to lose weight, nutrition, physical activity, and stress. Daily spirituality is associated with whether an individual attempts to lose weight. The results from logistic regression models suggest that daily spirituality increases the odds that African American male adolescents attempt to lose weight (OR = 1.22, CI: 1.07–1.41) and have a history of diet-focused weight management (OR = 1.13, CI: 1.02–1.26). Future studies are needed to further explore the association between religion, spirituality, and obesity-related behaviors.

Neighborhood Social Processes and Adolescent Sexual Partnering: A Multilevel Appraisal of Anderson’s Player Hypothesis

An increasing amount of sociological research is directed at unpacking the social processes behind neighborhood effects on youth behavioral outcomes. The goal of the current study is to build upon these prior efforts and advance research on neighborhood cultural mechanisms and adolescent sexual-partnering behaviors. We formulate and test a series of multilevel hypotheses informed by Anderson’s research on the relationship between neighborhood cultural processes and multiple sexual partnering or “player-like” sexual behavior. The hypotheses are tested using data from a multisite sample of African American adolescent males from the Family and Community Health Study. Results from a series of multilevel models provide evidence of both contextual and indirect effects of neighborhood culture on sexual partnering; moreover, these effects are conditioned by neighborhood structural deprivation.

‘Rolling dolo’: Desistance from delinquency and negative peer relationships over the early adolescent life-course

Although much of the literature on desistance has focused on late adolescence and early adulthood, little is known about how delinquent early adolescent African-American males develop strategies to desist from youth crime and violence during mid-early adolescence. Furthermore, there are few qualitative studies which examine the strategies delinquent black male youth use to negotiate neighborhood violence and the code of the street. This paper explores why some delinquent black male youth choose to maintain distal relationships or acquaintanceships with neighborhood peers as a safety strategy rather than forge relationships characterized by mutual obligation, trust and reciprocity. Youth define this strategy as ‘rolling dolo’. Drawing on three years of longitudinal ethnographic participant observations and interviews with 15 early adolescent African-American males (ages 12–16) living in a high-risk, low-income inner-city neighborhood in central Harlem, this paper qualitatively explores the meaning, practices and implications of the safety strategy of ‘rolling dolo’.

Mortality in American Hip-Hop and Rap Recording Artists, 1987–2014

The deaths of American hip-hop and rap recording artists often receive considerable media attention. However, these artists' deaths have not been examined as a distinct group like the deaths of rock, classical, jazz, and pop music artists. This is a seminal epidemiological analysis on the deaths of an understudied group, American hip-hop and rap music recording artists. Media reports were analyzed of the deaths of American hip-hop and rap music recording artists that occurred from January 1, 1987 to December 31, 2014. The decedents' age, sex, race, cause of death, stage names, and city and state of death were recorded for analysis. The most commonly reported cause of death was homicide. The 280 deaths were categorized as homicide (55%), unintentional injury (13%), cardiovascular (7%), undetermined/undisclosed (7%), cancer (6%), other (5%), suicide (4%), and infectious disease (3%). The mean reported age at death was 30 yrs (range 15-75) and the median was 29 yrs; 97% were male and 92% were black. All but one of the homicides were committed with firearms. Homicide was the most commonly reported cause of death. Public health focus and guidance for hip-hop and rap recording artists should mirror that for African-American men and adolescent males ages 15-54 yrs, for whom the leading causes of death are homicide, unintentional injury, and heart disease. Given the preponderance of homicide deaths in this analysis, premature mortality reduction efforts should focus on violence prevention and conflict mitigation.