African American Adolescents Research Articles

Disclosure of Exposure to Violence in Urban Adolescents.

Research has documented high rates of exposure to violence in urban African American adolescents together with their negative effects on psychosocial adjustment. Coping with violence exposure may be facilitated by disclosure of these experiences to others, but little is known about the extent to which youth disclose their various experiences with violence. This study examined the prevalence of disclosure of violence experienced as a witness or victim in different contexts or locations to parents, friends, siblings, teachers, counselors, and relatives. Urban African American adolescents from Southeastern U.S. were interviewed at three time points (N = 81; average ages 13.3, 16.1, and 17.8). Across the three time points, 90% to 91% witnessed violence and 64% to 81% were victimized in the last year. Of these youth, 40% to 53% disclosed experiences of witnessing violence and 29% to 52% disclosed experiences of victimization. The results showed that disclosure of violence most often involved parents and friends, with fewer youth disclosing to teachers and counselors. Disclosure of violence victimization increased from early to late adolescence. Experiences of dating violence victimization were less likely to be disclosed by adolescents, especially among males. These findings support the need for more research on adolescents' disclosure of violence exposure and its links to adjustment, with implications for interventions aimed at improving coping in youth exposed to violence.

Religiosity and Associations with Substance Use and Delinquency Among Urban African American Adolescents.

Adolescent delinquency and substance use are global problems. African American adolescents are especially susceptible to the life-changing consequences of these problem behaviors. Religiosity is a notable protective factor that has been shown to mitigate these behaviors. This study uses a person-centered approach to examine the extent to which religiosity is associated with lower rates of delinquency and substance use among urban African American adolescents in the United States. Latent Class Analysis was used to examine the heterogeneity in five religiosity items among a sample of adolescents ages 13-18. After identifying religiosity classes through a class enumeration process, we examined predictors of the classes using multinomial logistic regression. The classes were then used to predict several substance use and delinquency outcomes. Three religiosity classes were identified; "low religious beliefs and engagement," (15.19%, n = 94), "religious with low active engagement," (56.70%, n = 351), and "religious with high active engagement," (28.11%, n = 174). Protective effects of religiosity on substance use (e.g., alcohol) and delinquency were found (e.g., assault). Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Communication Interactions, Needs, and Preferences During Clinical Encounters of African American Parent-Child Dyads.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates remain suboptimal among African American adolescents. Although provider recommendations during clinical encounters are believed to be highly effective in increasing uptake and series completion, little has been reported about parent-child perspectives on the counseling received during these encounters. Among African American parent-child dyads, we sought to explore and compare interactions, needs, and preferences during clinical encounters by child's HPV vaccination status. We applied a qualitative, phenomenological study design to conduct semi-structured interviews with African American parent-child dyads representing children who were unvaccinated (n = 10), had initiated but not completed (n = 11), or had completed the HPV vaccine series (n = 9). Using iterative, inductive-deductive thematic analysis, five themes were generated: (1) parents' attitudes varied about the HPV vaccine but were mostly positive for vaccines in general; (2) patient-parent-provider clinical encounters from the parent perspective; (3) patient-parent-provider clinical encounters from the child perspective; (4) methods of distribution of supplemental HPV information; and (5) communication desired on HPV vaccination by parents and children. Parents stating they received a provider's recommendation increased by vaccination status (unvaccinated: 6 out of 10; initiated: 7 out of 11; completed: 9 out of 9). Most parents and children were not satisfied with provider communication on the HPV vaccine and used supplemental materials to inform decision-making. Ongoing communication on the HPV vaccine was requested even post-vaccination of the child. During clinical encounters, children and parental messaging needs are similar yet dissimilar. We offer communication strategies and messaging that can be used for African American parent-child dyads by child HPV vaccination status during a clinical encounter.

Arthritis Among Children and Adolescents Aged

Arthritis affects persons of all ages, including younger adults, adolescents, and children; however, recent arthritis prevalence estimates among children and adolescents aged <18 years are not available. Previous prevalence estimates among U.S. children and adolescents aged <18 years ranged from 21 to 403 per 100,000 population depending upon the case definition used. CDC analyzed aggregated 2017-2021 National Survey of Children's Health data to estimate the national prevalence of parent-reported arthritis diagnosed among children and adolescents aged <18 years. An estimated 220,000 (95% CI = 187,000-260,000) U.S. children and adolescents aged <18 years (305 per 100,000) had diagnosed arthritis. Arthritis prevalence among non-Hispanic Black or African American children and adolescents was twice that of non-Hispanic White children and adolescents. Co-occurring conditions, including depression, anxiety, overweight, physical inactivity, and food insecurity were associated with higher prevalences of arthritis. These findings highlight that children and adolescents should be prioritized for arthritis prevention and treatments by identifying risk factors for arthritis, developing self-management interventions to improve arthritis, physical activity or weight control, and screening and linking to mental health services. Health systems and payors can take steps to ensure equitable access to therapies (e.g., physical therapies and medications).

High Systolic Blood Pressure of High-Income African American Children

BackgroundAccording to the Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory, racism may reduce the health returns of family socioeconomic status (SEP) resources such as family income for racial minorities, particularly African Americans, compared to Whites. However, we are unaware of any previous studies on racial variation in the protective effects of family income on children’s blood pressure.AimWe conducted this study to compare the overall effects of family income on pre-adolescents’ systolic and diastolic blood pressure, test racial variation in this effect, and investigate whether racial variation in this regard is due to racial differences in body mass index.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from 4007 racially diverse US children 9–10 years old. The independent variable was family income measured as a three-level categorical variable: less than $50 K USD, 50–100 K USD, and 100 + K USD. The primary outcomes were systolic and diastolic blood pressure measured up to three times at 1-min time intervals. Body mass index was the mediator. Mixed-effects regression models were used for data analysis to adjust for data nested to the centers, families, and individuals. Age, gender, parental education, family structure, and Latino ethnicity were covariates.ResultsIn the pooled sample and in the absence of interaction terms in the model, family income did not show an inverse association with children’s systolic (for 100 + K USD family income: β = − 0.71, p = 0.233 and for 50–100 K USD family income: β = 0.01, p = 0.989) or diastolic blood pressure (for 100 + K USD family income: β = − 0.66, p = 0.172 and for 50–100 K USD family income: β = 0.23, p = 0.600). However, race showed a significant interaction with family income on systolic blood pressure (for 50–100 K USD × African American: β = 2.75, p = 0.034), suggesting higher systolic blood pressure of African American adolescents from high-income backgrounds. Racial variation in the protective effect of family income on systolic BP was no more significant (for 50–100 K USD × African American: β = 2.14, p = 0.149) after we controlled for body mass index (BMI), which was higher for African American than White adolescents.ConclusionThe association between high family income and reduced systolic blood pressure in pre-adolescence might be weaker for African Americans compared to Whites, a difference that African American adolescents’ higher body mass index can explain.

Frequent Family Meals Reduce Obesity Among African American Adolescents

Frequent Family Meals Reduce Obesity Among African American Adolescents

Vicarious severe school discipline predicts racial disparities among non-disciplined Black and White American adolescents.

Racial disparities in school discipline may have collateral consequences on the larger non-suspended student population. The present study leveraged two longitudinal datasets with 1201 non-suspended adolescents (48% Black, 52% White; 55% females, 45% males; Mage : 12-13) enrolled in 84 classrooms in an urban mid-Atlantic city of the United States during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 academic years. Classmates' minor infraction suspensions predicted greater next year's defiant infractions among non-suspended Black adolescents, and this longitudinal relation was worse for Black youth enrolled in predominantly Black classrooms. For White youth, classmates' minor infraction suspensions predicted greater defiant infractions specifically when they were enrolled in predominantly non-White classrooms. Racial inequities in school discipline may have repercussions that disadvantage all adolescents regardless of race.

Shift-and-persist coping and health among rural African American adolescents.

This study examines whether shift-and-persist coping, a coping strategy defined by accepting challenges and remaining hopeful for the future, is associated with psychosocial and physical health and/or moderates the effects of contextual stress (i.e., racial discrimination, financial strain) on health among African American adolescents living in the rural Southeastern United States. Participants (N = 299, 56% boys, Mage = 12.91) completed measures of shift-and-persist coping, contextual stress, and psychosocial and physical health. Shift-and-persist coping was generally associated with better health but did not buffer the effects of contextual stress. Results suggest that shift-and-persist coping may serve as a source of resilience among African American adolescents living in a context where many experience heightened contextual stress.

Examining the Influence of the Neighborhood Environment on Stress Among Black American Adolescents: A Scoping Review

The prevalence of mental health challenges continues to worsen among adolescents, with Black American adolescents experiencing rates of suicide attempts that are increasing faster than any other racial and ethnic groups. Research has found that the neighborhood environment impacts mental health through the type and level of stress that people experience generally. More is yet to be known, however, about the biological and psychological impacts of the neighborhood environment on stress among Black American adolescents. This study used a scoping review to explore the neighborhood environment’s contribution to stress among Black American adolescent’s, specifically. Seven bibliographic databases were used to identify relevant studies. Ten articles met eligibility criteria and were included in this review. Findings reveal that the biological stress response to neighborhood poverty and community violence has implications for mental and behavioral health functioning in adolescence. Implications for future research and interventions are discussed.

Racism and incarcerated African American adolescents

AbstractIn the United States, approximately 34% to 36% of juveniles (those under age 17) processed in the court system in 2018 were Black (Abrams et al., 2021). This article examines the dynamics of race with incarcerated Black adolescents. Black adolescents who have been or are incarcerated face similar systemic challenges as any other adolescent and must also be mindful of re‐entry into their communities. These challenges are multifaceted and dually complex when an adolescent is both incarcerated and Black. A literary review is provided then intersections of the topics are discussed to conceptualize and provide practical applications. Clinical implications for therapists are offered to practitioners working in the juvenile justice system.

Relations Between Violence Exposure and Gun Carriage: Identifying Protective Factors Among African American Youth Living in Low-Income Urban Communities

This study identified risk, promotive, and protective factors for handgun carriage among 265 primarily African American adolescents ( Mage = 14.3) living in low-income urban areas. Community-based violent victimization and witnessing violence and in-person and cyber forms of peer victimization increased the probability of handgun carriage. Community collective efficacy, including caregiver-reported social connectedness and informal social control, and community developmental strengths/supports, including youth-reported community recognition for prosocial involvement and community developmental assets, moderated relations between both violent victimization and witnessing violence and handgun carriage. School developmental strengths/supports, including school developmental assets and family prosocial involvement in school, moderated relations between in-person and cyber victimization and handgun carriage. Family developmental strengths/supports, including family developmental assets and family recognition and opportunities for prosocial involvement, were associated with lower odds of handgun carriage. Study findings revealed distinct protective factors related to community violence exposure or peer victimization that can inform youth violence prevention efforts.

Cultural Adaptation and a Pilot Study of the Mothers and Babies Course for Perinatal African American Adolescents

Cultural Adaptation and a Pilot Study of the Mothers and Babies Course for Perinatal African American Adolescents

Medical and public health professionals’ perceived facilitators and barriers of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among African American adolescents in Shelby County, Tennessee

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infects nearly 85% of sexually active Americans during their lifetime, causing most cervical and five other cancers. Routine HPV vaccination is recommended for adolescents to prevent HPV-attributable cancers, but HPV vaccination coverage remains low, especially in Tennessee. In 2021, 54.6% of the population in Shelby County, Tennessee was Black or African American, reporting higher rates of new cervical cancer cases than other counties in Tennessee. While medical and public health professionals (HPs) play a critical role in promoting vaccination coverage, little is known about the factors HPs perceive to influence HPV vaccination for this population. This study sought to explore HPs’ perceived facilitators and barriers of HPV vaccination among African American adolescents. Qualitative individual interviews with 26 HPs in Shelby County were conducted between October 2019 and February 2020. Interpretive content analysis of the interview data guided by the socio-ecological model revealed several important themes regarding the facilitators and barriers across the individual, interpersonal, and community levels. At the individual level, parental vaccine hesitancy emerged as a leading barrier to HPV vaccination, while appropriate education facilitated the vaccination. At the interpersonal level, a lack of strong provider recommendations impeded HPV vaccination, whereas improved communication skills with patients facilitated the vaccination. Finally, the community-level barriers included a lack of education and social/religious norms; the community-level facilitators included community outreach efforts. HPs should consider development of comprehensive community-based approaches that leverage the facilitators and barriers at multiple levels to increase HPV vaccination among African American adolescents in this region.

Suicidal behaviors among African American adolescents

In the United States, suicide among adolescents continues to be a growing phenomenon that affects many young people. Research in 2017 illustrated suicide has been the second leading cause of death among individuals whose ages range from 10 to 34. Recently, African Americans suicide rates for youth have increased which provides causation for this study. This study utilizes a qualitative analysis on the contributing risk factors that have led to the increase of suicide rates within this particular group of people. In particular, the authors analyzed suicide rates within the United States regarding African American adolescents and how the contributing risk factors of one’s socioeconomic status including race, mental illness, and social media play key roles. It is undeniably that these factors are group-specified in which intervention strategies should become implemented within this social context and implications would arise that would negate suicide risk among African American adolescents.

Behavioral Patterns of Sugary Drink Consumption among African American Adolescents: A Pilot and Feasibility Study Using Ecological Momentary Assessment

Background: Sugary drinks (SDs) are the predominant contributors to added sugar intake among adolescents, with the highest intakes reported among African American adolescents. The objective of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of using mobile phone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to investigate, in real time, behavioral patterns of SD consumption among African American adolescents from low-income households. Methods: Adolescents (n = 39, ages 12–17) attended a virtual meeting with a trained research assistant, which involved completion of surveys and training on responding to EMA prompts using a mobile phone application. On the seven subsequent days, adolescents were instructed to respond to researcher-initiated prompts three times daily, which queried their SD intake, location, social context, activities, stress, and mood. They were also asked to complete an analogous self-initiated survey each time they consumed SDs. Results: SD consumption was reported on 219 of 582 (38%) researcher-initiated surveys and on 135 self-initiated SD consumption surveys, for a total of 354 instances of SD intake over the 7-day assessment period. The majority (69%) of the surveys were completed while at home. SD consumption was reported on 37%, 35%, and 41% of researcher-initiated surveys completed at their home, at the home of a friend or family member, or while in transit, respectively. Conclusions: These preliminary data indicate that mobile phone-based EMA is feasible for investigating SD intake behaviors among African American youth from low-income households and support the promise of EMA for investigating SD consumption in this population in larger samples of youth.

The Relationship Between Childhood Sexual Abuse and Eating Disorders Among African American Adolescents in the United States.

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is one of the numerous adverse childhood experiences. CSA involves coercing a child to engage in sexual acts and is especially heinous as children are unable to consent or advocate for themselves. The formative years of a child are very crucial; therefore, the influence of sexual abuse could be irreversible. The development of an eating disorder is one of the identified consequences of sexual abuse. Using African American adolescents as the sample group, we explored the association between sexual abuse and eating disorders. A cross-sectional study was done with secondary data from the National Survey of American LifeAdolescent Supplement (NSAL-A), 2001-2004. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the association between CSA and eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorders) while adjusting for weight satisfaction. In our sample of 824 African American adolescents, one of whom was also of Caribbean descent, 3.5% reported a history of CSA, while 2.2% reported having an eating disorder. Only about 5.6% of those with a history of CSA reported having an eating disorder. However, other psychiatric disorders were noted among those with a history of abuse, notably panic attacks, which were present in 44.8% of CSA survivors. Our study found no significant association between CSA and eating disorders (OR= 1.14, 95% CI (0.06, 6.20)). While we sought to relate CSA with the development of eating disorders, we noted no direct association between the two but instead found an association between panic attacks and CSA. The mediating effect of other psychiatric disorders on the development of ED in CSA survivors should be further researched. It is imperative that survivors of CSA undergo immediate psychiatric evaluation. Primary care providers of survivors of CSA should maintain a high index of suspicion and screen for mental health disorders in these patients.

Individual, familial, and sociocontextual correlates of maternal caregiving among African American adolescents in public housing

AbstractObjectiveAfrican American adolescents (N = 372), recruited from public housing in three large U.S. cities, participated in this study that explores individual, familial, and sociocontextual correlates of maternal caregiving profiles, based on supervision and encouragement.BackgroundMaternal caregivers play an important role in ensuring the safety and welfare of adolescents as they encounter multiple challenges in their social environment. Public housing magnifies the risk of experiencing such challenges for African American adolescents. Evidence on the experiences of African American adolescents living in public housing is scarce. Our study contributes to this body of knowledge by exploring profiles of maternal caregivers, based on supervision and encouragement, their association with demographics, and familial and sociocontextual challenges among adolescents in public housing.MethodUsing multinomial logistic regression, we explore the associations between profiles of maternal caregiving, based on supervision and encouragement and adolescent characteristics, adolescents' experiences, and assessment of their family (e.g., quality of parent–child relationship, family conflict) and sociocontextual (e.g., peer influence, victimization, witnessing of community violence).ResultsAdolescents living in households with high levels of maternal encouragement and supervision reported a high‐quality relationship with their caregivers and less witnessing of community violence. These adolescents were also less likely to report victimization.ConclusionsThe study identified parenting strategies that could potentially reduce risks of adverse exposures among urban African American youth in public housing. Practitioners and policymakers must consider programs to bolster these strategies and further serve urban African American adolescents in challenging environments.

Bullying Victimization and Suicidal Thoughts: Emotional Distress and Neighborhood Conditions

The study aims to examine (1) the association between bullying victimization and suicidal thoughts and (2) neighborhood conditions as a moderated mediated model of the association between bullying victimization, emotional distress, and suicidal thoughts. The sample consists of 414 African American youths (ages 12–17) in Chicago’s Southside neighborhoods. Variables included suicidal thoughts, bullying victimization, emotional distress, neighborhood conditions, age, sex, and government assistance. Analyses included descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and multivariate regression analyses. The study found that bullying victimization was not directly associated with suicidal thoughts. However, bullying victimization was positively associated with emotional distress, which was related to suicidal thoughts. Moreover, emotional distress as a mediator of the association between bullying victimization and suicidal thoughts was observed when neighborhood conditions were a moderator. The findings suggest that bullying victimization and suicidal thoughts are major concerns for African American adolescents, and prevention and intervention need to be cost-effective.

Trauma and Perceived Closeness Between Black Adolescents and their Parents’ Impact on Self-Esteem

This study explored the impact of trauma upon Black adolescents’ self-esteem through the lens of Structural Family Therapy. Secondary data from the 2014 wave of the National Longitudinal Surveys Children and Young Adults database were utilized. Using a structural family therapy, two research questions were posited which examined the direct effects of two independent variables (trauma and perceived closeness to parents) upon the dependent variable of self-esteem. Linear regressions did not produce significant results in trauma and perceived closeness upon the self-esteem of African American adolescents. Clinical implications and future directions were provided.

Teasing and alcohol drinking among African American adolescents in Chicago's Southside: Implications for nursing practice

Guided by the routine activity theory, the current study proposes and tests pathways by which an absence of a capable guardian can contribute to interactions with motivated offenders and suitable targets, increasing the likelihood of teasing others and using alcohol. The study participants consisted of 612 African American adolescents in four low-income neighborhoods in Chicago's Southside. Measures include alcohol use, absence of a capable guardian, the presence of a motivated offender, target suitability, and teasing. Covariates include age, biological sex, and government assistance. Analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling. The absence of a capable guardian variable positively correlated with the presence of a motivated offender. The presence of a motivated offender variable was positively associated with target suitability, which was positively related to teasing and alcohol use. The presence of a motivated offender and target suitability variables were positively associated with teasing and alcohol use. Findings highlight the importance of capable guardians and potentially have implications for nursing practice.