African American Adolescents Research Articles

Social Media Shadows: Unveiling the Hidden Struggles of African American Youth on Facebook

Abstract: While Facebook has become a central element of digital culture, its impact on the mental health of African American youth remains underexplored, particularly in relation to intersecting marginalized identities. Despite extensive research on social media and youth well-being, there is a significant gap in understanding how Facebook contributes to mental health challenges like depression and anxiety, especially for African American adolescents who experience systemic racism and discrimination both offline and online. This paper addresses these shortcomings by examining the intersection of race, socio-economic status, and the pervasive influence of social media on African American youth. Utilizing the Ecological Systems Model and Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), this study critically analyzes existing literature to uncover how Facebook exacerbates mental health struggles through online discrimination, cyberbullying, and harmful social comparison. Furthermore, the research highlights the underrepresentation of African American LGBTQ+ youth in current studies, emphasizing the need for intersectional approaches. Findings reveal that while Facebook offers opportunities for connection and identity exploration, it also intensifies mental health challenges due to frequent exposure to online racism and social exclusion. This study concludes by advocating for targeted interventions, including digital literacy programs, supportive online communities, and improved content moderation, to mitigate the negative mental health impacts on African American youth in the digital age.

Effects of Responsiveness and Responsibility Parenting Factors on Family Mealtime Outcomes in Overweight African American Adolescents.

Family meals have been shown to be an important protective factor for positive health outcomes. This study assessed the associations of parenting factors with family mealtime among overweight African American adolescents over a period of 4 months. It was hypothesized that increases in warm and responsive parenting (parental responsiveness, parental responsibility) would be associated with increased frequency and quality of family mealtimes, while more demanding and controlling parenting (parental demandingness, parental monitoring) would be associated with a reduced frequency and quality of family mealtimes over time. Data from baseline to 16 weeks were collected from 241 African American adolescent-parent dyads (adolescent: Mage = 12.8 ± 1.7 years; 64% female; MBMI%= 96.6 ± 4.2) that participated in the Families Improving Together (FIT) for Weight Loss randomized controlled trial. Multilevel models revealed significant positive main effects of parental responsiveness and parental responsibility (p < 0.05) on the increased frequency of family meals (p < 0.01). Significant two-way interactions also showed that parental responsiveness (p < 0.05) predicted improved quality of family mealtimes, whereas parental demandingness (p < 0.01) predicted reduced quality of family mealtimes from baseline to 16 weeks. Results from this study have important implications for African American adolescent obesity prevention and future family-based intervention program guidelines.

The Influence of Prenatal Vitamin use and Community Health Programs on Reducing Teratogenic Medication Exposure and Improving Perinatal Nutrition among African American Adolescents with Limited Access to Healthcare

This review paper examines the critical influence of prenatal vitamin use and community health programs on reducing teratogenic medication exposure and improving perinatal nutrition among African American adolescents with limited access to healthcare. African American adolescents face disproportionate barriers to healthcare access, including socioeconomic challenges and systemic healthcare inequities, which contribute to heightened risks of teratogenic exposure and poor prenatal nutrition. The paper explores the role of prenatal vitamins such as folic acid, iron, and calcium in preventing congenital disabilities and enhancing maternal health. It also highlights the impact of community-based health programs and education initiatives that aim to bridge healthcare gaps for vulnerable populations. By focusing on adolescent pregnancy in African American communities, this review identifies key challenges such as limited healthcare access, inadequate educational resources, and socio-economic constraints. Furthermore, the paper assesses the effectiveness of current health interventions and policies, offering recommendations for improving healthcare access and expanding community programs. The review underscores the necessity for long-term research to address gaps in the intersection of race, adolescent health, and prenatal care, ultimately aiming to inform policy and program development that promotes equitable maternal and fetal health outcomes.

From Counting Dollars to Counting Sheep: Exploring Simultaneous Change in Economic Well-Being and Sleep among African American Adolescents.

In the U.S.A., Black/African American adolescents disproportionately experience short and poor-quality sleep, and there is little understanding of why some experience decrements or improvements in sleep over time. Toward conducting culturally specific research and identifying processes that uniquely explain variability within a racial/ethnic group, we utilized a within-group design to examine socioeconomic status (SES) as a predictor of Black adolescents' sleep. Few studies have examined change-on-change processes in sleep over time. Contributing to the literature in novel ways, we assessed the predictive effect of change in SES over one year on changes in four actigraphy-derived sleep parameters over the same time period. Participants were 218 Black adolescents (Time 1: Mage = 17.09 years; 54.6% female) and their mothers from socioeconomically diverse backgrounds. Adolescents participated in two-waves of data collection spaced approximately one year apart. At each wave, we assessed economic well-being (used to index SES) and sleep using 7 nights of actigraphy from which we derived measures of sleep duration (minutes) and quality (efficiency, long-wake episodes, activity). Latent difference score analyses revealed that adolescents experiencing increases in SES over one year exhibited decreases in both long-wake episodes and sleep activity over one year. Findings suggest that individual differences in change in SES explain individual differences in change in adolescents' sleep quality. Notably, findings highlight the utility of within-group designs for identifying culturally specific processes that predict improvements in sleep quality in a sample at disproportionate risk for sleep and health disparities.

Abstract A065: How accurate are parents' recalls? Factors affecting the concordance of parental and provider reports of HPV vaccination among African American adolescents

Abstract Objectives. Since the introduction of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in 2006, substantial efforts have been made at the national and state levels to monitor its uptake and understand the factors influencing vaccination. Most studies have focused on the acceptability and intent to vaccinate among adolescents and their parents, providing limited insights into how this understanding affects actual vaccine uptake and completion. A common method for measuring adolescents' vaccination status is parental recall. While some research has assessed the accuracy of parental recall, its implications have not been thoroughly explored. African Americans are disproportionately affected by HPV-related cancers, with higher mortality rates for cervical and oropharyngeal cancers compared to non-Hispanic whites. This study examined the accuracy of parents' reports of their adolescent children's HPV vaccination status and how this accuracy varied by socio-demographic characteristics within the Black/African American community. Methods. Data were taken from the 2015–2019 National Immunization Survey (NIS)-Teen, which includes a household interview and a provider-completed immunization history. We evaluated concordance between parents’ and providers’ reports of teens’ HPV vaccine initiation (at least 1 dose) and completion (3 doses) among Black/African American adolescents between the age of 13 to 17. We assessed bivariate associations of sociodemographic characteristics with having a concordant, false-positive (overreporting) or false-negative (underreporting) report, and used multinomial logistic regression to estimate the independent impact of each characteristic. Results: In a cohort of 68,205 adolescents (51.2% male, 95% CI: 50.4%-51.8%; 48.8% female, 95% CI: 48.2%-49.5%), parental reporting discrepancies in vaccination status were observed. Girls' parents were more likely to underreport (β=0.10, p=0.03) and overreport (β=0.10, p=0.03) vaccination status compared to boys' parents. Mothers with higher education levels were less likely to underreport, while single mothers were more likely to underreport (β=0.15, p=0.02) and overreport (β=0.17, p=0.008) vaccination status. Conclusions: Discrepancies between physician-reported and parental-reported HPV vaccination records among African American teenagers were observed, with parental reporting accuracy varying based on the child's gender and the mother's education level and marital status. Strategies to improve parental reporting accuracy and address disparities are needed to increase HPV vaccination rates and reduce HPV-related diseases in the African American community. Citation Format: Elaine Z. Liu, Philip Siu, Chun Pan, Grace X. Ma, Lin Zhu. How accurate are parents' recalls? Factors affecting the concordance of parental and provider reports of HPV vaccination among African American adolescents [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A065.

Disparities in the Cardiometabolic Impact of Adiposity among African American and Hispanic Adolescents.

As adiposity increases in youth, so does the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs). The etiology of adiposity-based chronic disease and CMRFs includes ethnoracial disparities that are rarely considered in current treatment approaches. Precision interventions require further characterization of these disparities among high-risk youth. The objective of this study was to characterize differences in CMRF among African American (AA) and Hispanic (H) adolescents with varying levels of adiposity. A cross-sectional analysis of 2284 adolescents aged 12-17 was conducted using 3-year clinical data from Lifedoc Health. CMRF prevalence were compared using χ2, with logistic regression models (LRM) applied to explore the relationships between exposures (age, sex, ethnoracial group, adiposity) and CMRF outcomes. Prevalence of CMRF rose with increasing adiposity, which was the strongest determinant of risk overall. However, individual risk profiles differed between the two groups, with H having higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), higher triglycerides and liver enzymes, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c). Meanwhile, AA had higher prevalence of elevated blood pressure (BP) in the overweight category, prediabetes in overweight to severe obesity, and type 2 diabetes in obesity. LRM showed 3.0-fold greater chance of impaired glucose metabolism in AA than H, who were 1.7, 5.9, and 8.3 times more likely to have low HDL-c, high liver enzymes, and high triglycerides, respectively. Overweight/obesity prevalence was very high among AA and H adolescents. Excess adiposity was associated with an increased prevalence of CMRF, with individual risk factors differing between groups as adiposity increased. Research within routine clinical settings is required to better characterize these discrepancies and ameliorate their adverse impact on health in the transition to adulthood.

Psychometric properties of the Afrocentric Self-Regard Scale (ASRS): A validation study with Black emerging adults

ABSTRACT This study aimed to cross-validate the Afrocentric Self-Regard Scale (ASRS), which was previously developed and assessed in a sample of Black American adolescents. However, this study was conducted with a representative sample of 619 emerging Black adults aged 18–29 years. Participants completed a survey that included the ASRS and measured African heritage connections, Afro-cultural orientation norms, internalized negative stereotypes, career aspirations, anxiety, and depression. A confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that all the items contributed to the measurement of self-regard as a single construct and showed a good fit. The ASRS showed excellent internal reliability. Construct validity was supported via positive correlations with African heritage connections and Afro-cultural orientation norms. Discriminant validity had a weak, negative correlation with internalized negative stereotypes. Nomological validity was supported via positive correlations with flourishing and career aspirations and negative correlations with depression and anxiety. The ASRS was a reliable and valid measure of Afrocentric self-regard in emerging Black American adults.

Coping with ethnic-racial discrimination: Protective-reactive effects of shift-and-persist coping on internalizing symptoms among Black American adolescents.

Ethnic-racial discrimination has pervasive negative effects on Black youth's mental health; therefore, it is crucial to identify factors that provide resilience against discrimination. Two promising factors to help youth cope are ethnic-racial identity (how one feels about their ethnicity/race) and shift-and-persist coping (reappraising and accepting an uncontrollable stressor while remaining optimistic about the future). While there is existing scholarship on ethnic-racial identity among Black youth, this work has not yet assessed the impacts of shift-and-persist in this population. Using a sample of 155 Black youth (ages 13-17), the current study examined the interplay between discrimination, ethnic-racial identity, shift-and-persist coping, and internalizing symptoms. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were positively associated with discrimination and negatively associated with shift-and-persist. Significant interactions between discrimination and shift-and-persist predicting both depressive and anxiety symptoms revealed significant negative associations between shift-and-persist and internalizing symptoms at low and average, but not high discrimination levels. Effects are, thus, protective-reactive; the protective effects of shift-and-persist are not significant for youth facing high levels of discrimination. Ethnic-racial identity, surprisingly, was not significantly associated with either depressive or anxiety symptoms, nor did it interact with shift-and-persist as it has in studies of Latinx youth. By understanding the protective benefits of shift-and-persist and ethnic-racial identity in Black youth, during a pivotal period for mental health, we can provide this growing population with tools to lessen the maladaptive outcomes associated with discrimination.

Racial Socialization and Black Adolescent Mental Health and Developmental Outcomes: A Critical Review and Future Directions

ABSTRACT Objective Black American adolescents are beleaguered with the most frequent and severe experiences of racial discrimination (RD) among their peers. To protect Black adolescents’ mental health and developmental outcomes from the pernicious impact of discrimination, parents and other proximal adults and peers often utilize racial socialization (RS), or communications and behaviors emphasizing the importance of race and the harms of racism. While several recent RS reviews have been conducted across ethnicity, a modern review investigating RS practices related to and predictive of Black adolescent psychosocial outcomes is needed. Method To ground our critical systematic review of 45 articles, we first highlighted the ways RD impacts the lives of Black adolescents. Then, drawing from integrative models for Black youth development, we synthesized recent psychological, academic, and sociocultural literatures to describe the role of RS in Black adolescents’ wellness. Results The impact of various tenets of RS was seen most clearly as a protective factor against RD with respect to adolescents’ mental health (e.g. depression), academic achievement (e.g. GPA), and sociocultural identity (e.g. public and private racial regard) development. Cultural socialization, a strategy related to extolling pride for one’s race, was the most consistent RS protective factor, with novel RS constructs (e.g. parental competency) emerging as a method to buffer youth internalizing and externalizing problems. Conclusions Recommendations are made for future research on understudied components of RS and multiple methods and reporters to capture a more holistic depiction of RS practices. We emphasize preventative and intervening approaches to reduce the impetus for RS and its impact, including burgeoning clinical and community-level programs and the importance for provider training to yield positive mental health outcomes for Black adolescents.

Strength-based strategies for addressing racial stressors in African American families: lessons learned from developing the LEADS health promotion intervention

Recognizing the real-life impact of racial stress on physical and psychological health is vital for creating impactful health promotion interventions among African American families. Despite the known link between racial stress and poor physical health outcomes, no existing intervention to date has targeted stress management strategies to buffer racial stress and build positive health behaviors among African American families. The current study outlines the lessons learned throughout the development of the Linking Exercise for Advancing Daily Stress (LEADS) Management and Resilience program, a 10-week family-based health promotion, stress management, and resilience intervention that aimed to improve physical activity, healthy eating, and well-being among African American adolescents and parents. We highlight the evolution of the LEADS intervention from a health promotion and stress management intervention to a culturally salient health promotion, stress management, and resilience intervention utilizing community-based participatory research strategies. This paper chronicles our systematic journey in making those changes and the lessons we learned along the way. We provide specific recommendations and implications for future health promotion interventions developed for African American families. Overall, we argue for a research orientation that respects cultural and racial contexts, embraces diversity within research teams and self-reflection, recognizes the heterogeneity among African American populations, and applies strength-based approaches.

Effects of the Pathways for African American Success Program: Reductions in Adolescent Depression Through the Promotion of Racial Equity-Informed Parenting and Racial Pride

African American adolescents face persistent disparities in depression and related behavioral health outcomes, which have been attributed to experiences with discrimination. The integrative model for the study of stress in Black American families provides a comprehensive perspective on how historical and current discrimination has direct and indirect effects on child behavioral health. Culturally based protective mechanisms (e.g., racial socialization) have been demonstrated to buffer adolescents from the negative effects of discrimination. The Pathways for African American Success (PAAS) program was developed as a scalable eHealth preventive intervention to facilitate parents’ use of strategies to protect their children from exposure to racism and the disproportionate consequences of risk behaviors, which we label as racial equity-informed parenting. Using data from a randomized effectiveness trial of PAAS and following stress and resilience approaches, we tested multiple hypotheses about the nature of discrimination as a source of risk, as well as program-driven improvements in adolescent racial pride as a source of protection. Our risk model indicated adolescent depression was associated with their own (direct) and their parents’ (indirect) experience of discrimination. Mediation analyses showed that program-driven improvements in adolescent racial pride served as a risk reducer/compensatory factor. Findings of moderation analyses, however, showed the negative effects of discrimination, even when racial pride was high. Implications for theory and cultural tailoring of evidence-based preventive interventions are presented.

Impact of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy on Anxiety Levels Among African American Adolescents.

Anxiety and depression among adolescents in the United States has steadily increased. In addition, significant disparities in access to mental health care exist for African Americans. The purpose of the current project was to support the mental health of African American adolescents involved in faith-based youth groups through implementation of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). The community partner was an African American church in Southwest Georgia. Mindfulness training modules are offered in monthly sessions. Pre- and post-intervention surveys and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were analyzed, comparing mean GAD-7 scores before and after participation. Nurse-led quality improvement initiatives support adolescent mental health and provide sustainable resources for mental health in rural areas. Results of the quality improvement project reveal improvement in self-reported anxiety symptoms among participants after the 4-month DBT intervention. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 62(8), 7-10.].

Prevalence and determinants of risky behaviors: a comprehensive review of substance use and sexual risk behaviors among adolescents in the United States

Adolescents are often the most vulnerable to risky behaviors due to their quest for independence, experimentation, and identity development, resulting in deep-rooted patterns that affect health across the life course. This review examines the prevalence and determinants of substance use and sexual risk behaviors among adolescents in the United States. A systematic search of peer-reviewed literature published between 1980-2023 was conducted using multiple databases. Studies focusing on U.S. adolescents aged 12-19 and reporting on prevalence or associated factors of substance use (alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, or any illicit drugs) or sexual risk behaviors (early sexual initiation, multiple partners, or inconsistent condom use) were included. The review synthesized data from 40 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Results indicate concerning rates of substance use and sexual risk-taking, with variations by demographic factors. Alcohol and marijuana use were most prevalent, reported by 30-40% of adolescents. Nearly half of high school students reported having sexual intercourse, with 40% not using condoms consistently. Prevalence was generally higher among older adolescents, sexual minorities, and some racial minority groups. Key determinants of risk behaviors were reviewed based on socioecological models including individual, interpersonal, community and societal factors. The review highlights the multilevel nature of influences on adolescent risk behaviors. Findings underscore the need for tailored interventions addressing multiple determinants. Particular attention to vulnerable groups such as African American Adolescents and social determinants of health inequities is warranted. More research on risk and protective factors and effective interventions is needed. This synthesis can inform the development of evidence-based policies and programs to reduce substance use and sexual risk behaviors among U.S. adolescents.

Disparities in adolescent controller medication adherence, treatment barriers, and asthma control.

Disparities in asthma persist despite advances in interventions. Adherence and self-management behaviors are critical yet challenging during adolescence. Treatment barriers include individual factors as well as structural and social determinants of health. To determine differences in controller medication adherence, asthma control, and treatment barriers by race, income, and insurance and whether racial disparities persist when controlling for income and insurance. Associations between adherence, barriers, and control were also examined. Adolescents completed measures of treatment barriers and asthma control. Controller medication adherence was measured electronically. Descriptive statistics, means comparisons, and analyses of covariance were conducted. One hundred twenty-five adolescents participated (Mage = 14.55, SD = 2.01, 37.6% Black or African American, 55.2% White). Black or African American adolescents had significantly lower adherence than White adolescents, t(105) = 2.79, p = .006, Cohen's d = .55. This difference was not significant when controlling for income and insurance (p > .05). There was a significant difference in asthma control, F(1,86) = 4.07, p = .047, ηp 2 = .045, where Black or African American adolescents had better asthma control scores than White adolescents. Feeling tired of living with asthma was the most common barrier among all adolescents (62.4%). More Black or African American adolescents endorsed difficulty getting to the pharmacy than White adolescents, X2 (1, N = 116) = 4.86, p = .027. Racial disparities in asthma may be partially driven by income, insurance, and pharmacy access. Asthma burnout may be important to address for all adolescents with asthma.

Ethnic/racial discrimination, school cultural socialization, and negative affect: Daily diaries reveal African American, Asian American, and Latinx adolescents’ resilience.

Ethnic/racial discrimination, school cultural socialization, and negative affect: Daily diaries reveal African American, Asian American, and Latinx adolescents’ resilience.

Self-Esteem Among U.S. African American and Latinx Adolescents With Depressive Symptoms and Overweight and/or Obesity.

To examine the concept of self-esteem among African American and Latinx adolescents with overweight and/or obesity and depressive symptoms in the United States. Using key terms in CINAHL, PubMed, and PsycINFO databases, an initial search yielded 371 articles; after examining title, abstract, and full text, 33 articles remained. The concept of adolescent self-esteem was analyzed using Rodger's evolutionary method. Several antecedents of self-esteem in this context were identified, including bullying, negative portrayal in the media, stressors and hassles, low socioeconomic status, dieting, and family dietary influences. Attributes identified were body image and misperception, body image dissatisfaction, diminished social status, and isolation. Consequences included stigma, somatic complaints, decreased earnings over a lifetime, decreased quality of life, lower educational attainment over a lifetime, and increased substance use. Increased self-esteem, increased number of friends, and in-depth friendships were associated with a lower risk of being overweight or obese. Adolescent self-esteem varied based on gender, racial and ethnic group, and changed over time in the African American population but remained static in the Latinx population. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx-xx.].

Does Sharing Activities With Parents Protect African American Adolescents From Low Self-Esteem When Bullied?

Does Sharing Activities With Parents Protect African American Adolescents From Low Self-Esteem When Bullied?

Psychometric Properties of the Modified Parenting Attitudes Measure Among African American Adolescents in Public Housing

Valid and reliable measurements reflecting how perceived maternal and paternal parenting practices are similar, different, complementary, or additive in studying youth outcomes are critical for building knowledge on supportive parenting practices for African American youth living in public housing. We examined the psychometric properties of the Parental Attitudes Measure (PAM) which focuses on youths’ attitudes on parenting practices. Data was collected from the perspective of 660 African American youth living in urban public housing across three cities in the northeast and mid-Atlantic region in the United States. Youth reported on their attitudes about maternal and paternal caregivers. Reliability was determined using Cronbach alpha (α) for internal consistency. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to examine the dimensions and loading of the construct with this population. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) examined the validity of the measure using four goodness-of-fit indices. Pearson correlations were used to test construct validity among the sample and across parent status (birth or non-birth parent) and residence in the household. The EFA indicated a two-factor structure with strong reliability for both maternal (α = 0.86, 0.84) and paternal (α = 93, 0.92) encouragement and supervision. The CFA supported a 2-factor model for both maternal and paternal PAM. Findings demonstrate high internal consistency of the PAM for use in examining maternal and paternal attitudes among African American youth living in public housing, generally, as well as by gender and across cities. The measure had good construct validity with maternal caregivers but only partially with paternal caregivers.

Sources of Stress and Coping Strategies Among Urban African American Adolescents: A Qualitative Study of Child and Caregiver Perspectives.

Early adolescence is a critical point for intervention to protect against negative consequences of stress on the developing brain. This study aimed to gather perspectives on stress from adolescents and their caregivers living in under-resourced Baltimore City neighborhoods. Nine African American adolescents and their caregivers (n = 18 total) participated in qualitative interviews exploring neighborhood environments, sources of stress, and coping behaviors. Neighborhood social cohesion was described as a strength of participants' communities, despite concerns about neighborhood safety. Caregivers were highly aware of their child's stressors and coping behaviors. School-related pressure was a prevalent source of stress emphasized by adolescents, along with social stress due to disrupted routines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adolescents described frequent use of electronics to cope with stress, as well as self-care and relaxation techniques. Themes identified from these data can be used to inform future adolescent stress-reduction interventions and stress-prevention efforts in this priority population.

Similarities and Differences in the Architecture of Cognitive Vulnerability to Depressive Symptoms in Black and White American Adolescents: A Network Analysis Study.

The hopelessness theory, Beck's cognitive theory, and the response styles theory dominate our understanding and the treatment of depression in adolescents. However, research supporting them is largely based on White individuals. Further, the associations between stressors, cognitive vulnerabilities, and depressive symptoms in Black adolescents are not as one would expect based on the predictions from those theories. Both raise the question of if and to what degree these theories and previous findings can be generalized to Black adolescents. Additionally, without a theoretical basis, clinicians regularly use interventions developed based on one theory to influence vulnerabilities described in another theory. Thus, the purpose of our study was to examine the structure of an integrated cognitive stress-vulnerability model as well as the strengths of associations between stressors, cognitive vulnerabilities, and depressive symptoms in Black and White adolescents. In our study, 295 Black (37% female) and 213 White (49% female) ninth-grade students from a public high school participated. Network analyses demonstrated that the three original cognitive theories of depression can and should be integrated and that each variable we examined is comparably relevant for Black and White adolescents. At the same time, the structure of the two integrated networks differed significantly among Black and White adolescents, exhibiting specific distinctions at four edge levels. Furthermore, the predictability of the network is notably lower for Black adolescents than for White adolescents. Important theoretical and clinical implications can be derived.