Specific Minority Groups Research Articles

No Racial Differences Found in Effectiveness of Psychotherapy for Depression

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Clinical and Research NewsFull AccessNo Racial Differences Found in Effectiveness of Psychotherapy for DepressionVabren WattsVabren WattsSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:19 Mar 2014https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2014.3b9AbstractWhile there are disparities between Caucasian and racial-minority patients in the use of psychotherapy, when it is used, there are no racial differences in effectiveness.wavebreakmedia/shutterstockThough studies show psychotherapies to be effective in general adult populations with depression, data evaluating whether this effectiveness holds true in racial minority groups with depression remain sparse. Researchers at Vrije University and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, both in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, conducted a meta-analysis to assess the relative effects of psychotherapy for individuals from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds. The study was published February 18 in Psychiatric Services in Advance.“When we started our investigation, we noticed that little is known about the effectiveness of mainstream psychotherapy in depressed migrants in the Netherlands,” Burcin Unlu, M.Sc. the study’s lead author and a doctoral candidate in the Department of Clinical Psychology at Vrije, told Psychiatric News. “As we looked further in the literature, randomized, controlled trials focusing on the effectiveness of psychotherapy in racial-ethnic minorities [of Western civilizations] were also few in numbers.”According to Unlu, research over the past 30 years has indicated that racial and ethnic minority groups are not only underrepresented in clinical trials, but are less likely to make use of mental health care services until late stages of mental illness than Caucasians are. A frequent explanation for this discrepancy, Unlu noted, has been that the lack of cultural and linguistic adaptions to psychotherapy makes mental health services less appealing to people from minority racial and ethnic backgrounds, but the studies confirming this theory are scarce. “The literature isn’t straightforward in the differences in the effectiveness of psychotherapy regarding race,” Unlu said. “Therefore, we decided to select and analyze multiple randomized, controlled trials involving psychotherapy for depression that reported the overall racial-ethnic minority proportion of the sample.”Unlu and colleagues gathered data from 56 randomized, controlled trials—with more than 5,800 participants—that evaluated the effects of psychotherapy in adults aged 18 and older with a depressive disorder diagnosis or an elevated level of depressive symptomatology. Psychotherapy was defined as an intervention in which verbal or written communication between a therapist and a patient was the primary form of therapy—including cognitive-behavioral therapy and intrapersonal psychotherapy. Effectiveness of psychotherapy among the nonminority and racial minority groups was determined by effect size, which was calculated by analyzing changes in depression symptomatology measured by the Beck Depression Inventory and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. To meet inclusion criteria, all trials analyzed were required to report subjects’ race and ethnicity. Racial minorities were categorized as people of African, Asian, Hispanic, or Native-American ancestry or ancestry that could not be categorized.Results from the meta-analysis showed that psychotherapy for depression was “moderately” effective in both nonminorities and ethnic minorities, with no significant association between the effect size among the two populations. In addition, no difference in psychotherapy effectiveness was found between each of the minority groups. “Our study shows that we can assume psychotherapy is equally effective regardless of care seekers’ ethnicity,” Unlu told Psychiatric News. “There is not much reason to assume that Caucasians and racial-ethnic minority groups benefit differently from psychotherapy, suggesting that there are universal working mechanisms of psychotherapy for both groups.”Unlu said that depression-based research should now focus on decreasing the disparities in psychotherapy use between Caucasians and ethnic minorities.“Given the results of our study, the question can be shifted to how the delivery of psychotherapy can be improved. Enhancing recruitment methods and culturally sensitive approaches for improving the delivery of psychotherapies to these minorities are important topics for future studies. Culturally adapting psychotherapies to the needs of specific racial-ethnic minority groups may be beneficial in decreasing treatment disparity.” ■“The Effects of Psychotherapy on Depression Among Racial-Ethnic Minority Groups: A Metaregression Analysis” is posted at http://ps.psychiatryonline.org/data/Journals/PSS/0/appi.ps.201300165.pdf. ISSUES NewArchived

The Sound of Silence. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Discrimination in ‘Inclusive Organizations’

Most studies on diversity and discrimination in the workplace have focused on ‘visible’ minorities such as gender or race, often neglecting the experiences of invisible minorities such as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers. In this paper we explore the practices of inclusion/exclusion ofLGBTsin the workplace in Italian social cooperatives, which are specifically founded to create employment for people who are disadvantaged in the labour market. The study examines how organizations, which have an ethos focused on inclusion and mainly employ workers from specific social minority groups, manage the inclusion ofLGBTworkers. We also explore the experience ofLGBTworkers within these organizations. The paper reports that the culture of silence existing in the five organizations studied preventsLGBTemployees from constructing a work identity which encompasses their sexual identity and prevents the organizations from achieving their aim of being fully inclusive workplaces.

“Tolerated One Way but Not the Other”: Levels and Determinants of Social and Political Tolerance in Hong Kong

Tolerance constitutes one of the core elements of a democratic political culture and an indicator of social cohesion. While the concepts of social tolerance and political tolerance have each generated a substantial body of literature, few studies have examined the two forms of tolerance simultaneously. Empirically, this study examines Hong Kong people’s social and political tolerance toward five minority or non-conformist groups. Analysis of survey data shows that degree of tolerance varies substantially across target groups. More important, the group that is the most tolerated socially is not necessarily the most tolerated politically. Many people are found to be holding the attitudes of “quiet co-existence” or “respectful distance” toward specific minority or non-conformist groups. This article also examines the demographic and attitudinal predictors of tolerance. It finds that tolerance is stronger among the youngest cohort and weaker among new immigrants. Tolerance is also significantly related to social trust and post-materialist orientation, yet not to a sense of relative deprivation.

Grounded in evidence or a puritanical legacy: a critique of twenty-first-century US drug policy

The federal government of the USA asserts that its national drug policy is based on empirical and scientific evidence rather than ideology. However, the recently published ‘War on Drugs’ (2011) report declared that the global war on drugs has failed, producing devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world. Accordingly, this paper focuses on a number of key positions that are embedded in the US drug policy and seeks to reconcile these with the empirical evidence that exists; such as it is. In the absence of supporting empirical evidence to underpin a policy goal, one must logically consider that there are alternative, hidden drivers and the authors can detect (at least) three such drivers of US drug policy. The first of these is the influence of religion; US drug policy is influenced by a Puritanical legacy. The second is that of societal views of drugs and drug users per se and how such views invariably associate certain drugs with specific ethnic minority groups. The third is th...

Do In Utero Events Contribute to Current Health Disparities in Reproductive Medicine?

Health disparities exist in reproductive medicine as discussed in detail in the subsequent articles of this issue; however, in most cases, the exact cause of these differences is unknown. Some of these disparities can be linked to environmental exposures such as alcohol and other hazardous toxic exposures (polycarbonate, pesticides, nicotine) in adults. In addition, low socioeconomic status, behavioral risk factors, and lack of education have been linked to poor obstetric and reproductive outcomes in minority groups. Aside from these various environmental exposures later in life, there is evidence that adverse events in utero could contribute to poor reproductive outcome in specific minority groups. We will focus on the developmental origins of health and disease as a possible causal mechanism for health disparities in reproductive diseases, as this perspective may suggest tractable solutions of how to address and eliminate these health disparities.

Accuracy of routinely recorded ethnic group information compared with self-reported ethnicity: evidence from the English Cancer Patient Experience survey

ObjectiveTo describe the accuracy of ethnicity coding in contemporary National Health Service (NHS) hospital records compared with the ‘gold standard’ of self-reported ethnicity.DesignSecondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional survey...

White Residential Segregation in U.S. Metropolitan Areas: Conceptual Issues, Patterns, and Trends from the U.S. Census, 1980 to 2010

Racial and ethnic diversity continues to spread to communities across the United States. Rather than focus on the residential patterns of specific minority or immigrant groups, this study examines changing patterns of white residential segregation in metropolitan America. Using data from the 1980 to 2010 decennial censuses, we calculate levels of white segregation using two common measures, analyze the effect of defining the white population in different ways, and, drawing upon the group threat theoretical perspective, we examine the metropolitan correlates of white segregation. We find that white segregation from others declined significantly from 1980 to 2010, regardless of the measure of segregation or the white population used. However, we find some evidence consistent with the group threat perspective, as white dissimilarity is higher in metro areas that are more diverse, and especially those with larger black populations. Nevertheless, our findings indicate that whites having been living in increasingly integrated neighborhoods over the last few decades, suggesting some easing of the historical color line.

Does neighbourhood social capital aid in levelling the social gradient in the health and well-being of children and adolescents? A literature review

BackgroundAlthough most countries in the European Union are richer and healthier than ever, health inequalities remain an important public health challenge. Health-related problems and premature death have disproportionately been reported in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood social capital is believed to influence the association between neighbourhood deprivation and health in children and adolescents, making it a potentially interesting concept for policymakers.MethodsThis study aims to review the role of social capital in health inequalities and the social gradient in health and well-being of children and adolescents. A systematic review of published quantitative literature was conducted, focussing on (1) the mediating role of neighbourhood social capital in the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and health-related outcomes in children and adolescents and (2) the interaction between neighbourhood social capital and socio-economic characteristics in relation to health-related outcomes in children and adolescents. Three electronic databases were searched. Studies executed between 1 January 1990 and 1 September 2011 in Western countries (USA, New Zealand, Australia and Europe) that included a health-related outcome in children or adolescents and a variable that measured neighbourhood social capital were included.ResultsEight studies met the inclusion criteria for the review. The findings are mixed. Only two of five studies confirmed that neighbourhood social capital mediates the association between neighbourhood deprivation and health and well-being in adolescents. Furthermore, two studies found a significant interaction between neighbourhood socio-economic factors and neighbourhood social capital, which indicates that neighbourhood social capital is especially beneficial for children who reside in deprived neighbourhoods. However, two other studies did not find a significant interaction between SES and neighbourhood social capital. Due to the broad range of studied health-related outcomes, the different operationalisations of neighbourhood social capital and the conceptual overlap between measures of SES and social capital in some studies, the factors that explain these differences in findings remain unclear.ConclusionsAlthough the findings of this study should be interpreted with caution, the results suggest that neighbourhood social capital might play a role in the health gradient among children and adolescents. However, only two of the included studies were conducted in Europe. Furthermore, some studies focussed on specific populations and minority groups. To formulate relevant European policy recommendations, further European-focussed research on this issue is needed.

Desperately constructing ethnic audiences: Anti-immigration discourses and minority audience research in the Netherlands

This article examines how minority ethnic audiences are measured, and thus constructed, in the Netherlands today. The analysis shows that this process is tightly woven into the dominant assimilationist and neoliberal discourse. This discourse portrays specific minority groups as deviant in relation to an essentialized notion of Dutchness. Furthermore, it presents social inclusion as an opportunity that is limited to well-adjusted, profitable consumers. Different attempts to represent minority audiences – including efforts to promote a more just minority representation in Dutch media – are compelled to accommodate to this dominant discourse. The article underscores the limited scope for contesting current hegemonic representations of minority groups and national belonging in the Netherlands.

Comparing culturally accommodated versus standard group CBT for Latino adolescents with substance use disorders: A pilot study.

Studies comparing empirically supported substance abuse treatments versus their culturally accommodated counterparts with participants from a specific ethnic minority group are lacking in the literature. To address this gap, this pilot study was conducted to compare the feasibility and relative efficacy of an empirically supported standard version of cognitive-behavioral substance abuse treatment (S-CBT) to a culturally accommodated version (A-CBT) with a sample of Latino adolescents. This study was guided by a Cultural Accommodation Model for Substance Abuse Treatment (CAM-SAT). Thirty-five Latino adolescents (mean age = 15.49) were randomly assigned to one of two 12-week group-based treatment conditions (S-CBT = 18; A-CBT = 17) with assessments conducted at pretreatment, posttreatment and 3-month follow-up. Results indicated similar retention and satisfaction rates for participants in both treatment conditions. In addition, participants in both conditions demonstrated significant decreases in substance use from pre- to posttreatment with slight increases at 3-month follow-up; however, substance use outcomes were moderated by two cultural variables: ethnic identity and familism. Implications of these findings within the context of conducting clinical trials with Latino adolescents are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).

Indiscriminate discrimination: A correspondence test for ethnic homophily in the Chicago labor market

Numerous field experiments have demonstrated the existence of discrimination in labor markets against specific minority groups. This paper uses a correspondence test to determine whether this discrimination is due to prejudice against specific groups, or a general preference for the majority group. Three groups of identical fabricated resumes are sent to help-wanted advertisements in Chicago newspapers: one with Anglo-Saxon names, one with African-American names, and one with fictitious foreign names whose ethnic origin is unidentifiable to most Americans. Resumes with Anglo-Saxon names generate nearly one third more call-backs than identical resumes with non Anglo-Saxon ones, either African-American or Foreign. We take this as evidence that discriminatory behavior is part of a larger pattern of unequal treatment of any member of non-majority groups, ethnic homophily.

OP44 Race, Bullying and Self-Esteem at the Transition Between Primary and Secondary School

BackgroundStudies from the US have suggested that children who experience racial discrimination have higher rates of depression, anxiety, behavioural disorders, and lower self-esteem. Children are generally more vulnerable to such...

Customising fetal weight by ethnicity may ignore confounding with socio-economic status in a UK population

IntroductionCustomised antenatal growth charts (CAGCs) adjust expectations of estimated fetal weight (EFW) based on the assumed effects of maternal characteristics on potential birthweight (Gardosi et al 1992). Previous studies have...

Identity Politics Then and Now

Identity politics, or collective activism based on embodied experiences of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity or nationality, existed before the late twentieth century, but the term was coined in the 1970s and widely circulated in the 1980s as a response to social injustice, widespread prejudice and even assault borne by members of specific minority groups. For lesbians, gays and transsexuals, for ethnic minorities like Native Americans in the US or First Nations in Canada, for women in many Western countries, identity politics has meant working proactively for full legal and social recognition. Feminism often flies under the banner of identity politics with the argument that gender equality is still far from the norm in Western societies and even less so in many Asian and African societies, and in those of the Arab world.

Patterns of Ethnic Intolerance in Europe

This paper examines the patterns of ethnic intolerance in European societies based on data from the 1999/2000 wave of the European Values Survey. We analyze the differences in intolerance targeted toward Muslims, Jews, immigrants, Gypsies, and persons of different race, using modernisation theory and “competition for scarce resource” theories as our point of departure. Furthermore, we focus on the differences in the levels of intolerance in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Turkey. The present paper builds on previous empirical research, especially findings of recent multilevel analyses. Our larger and more extensive data material enables us to introduce two important improvements in this line of research. Theoretically, we are able to test if there are differences in the patterns of intolerance targeted toward specific minority groups. Methodologically, the number of countries in our data material is much larger, allowing us to apply multilevel models in a more statistically appropriate setting. Our results show that Gypsies stand out as an ethnic group particularly exposed to intolerance. The level of intolerance is lowest in Western Europe and highest in Turkey. In addition, the level of intolerance against Jews is particularly high in Turkey.

Empirical Research on Ethnic Minority Students: 1995–2009

Ethnic minority disproportionality has been a topic of extensive discussion and research for many years. In 1997, Artiles, Trent, and Kuan conducted a seminal review of the special education research literature to identify how often researchers report and disaggregate data in ways that would support conclusions about specific ethnic minority groups. These authors found alarmingly low rates of publication on identifiable minority groups. The purpose of this review is to replicate the work of Artiles et al. and extend this literature analysis to the subsequent 15‐year period (1995–2009). We found increases in the proportion of articles reporting ethnic minority information 15 years following the Artiles et al. publication. Discussion focuses on the gap in our knowledge of evidence‐based practices for ethnic minority students in special education.

Safeguarding children in places of religious instruction…the madressah project

IntroductionChildren often receive religious and other instruction in venues run by religious institutions such us churches, temples and mosques. Madressahs are complementary schools providing basic Islamic education, Quraan memorisation, Islamic...

Indiscriminate Discrimination: A Correspondence Test for Ethnic Homophily in the Chicago Labor Market

Numerous field experiments have demonstrated the existence of discrimination in labor markets against specific minority groups. This paper uses a correspondence test to determine whether this discrimination is due to prejudice against specific groups, or a general preference for the majority group. Three groups of identical fabricated resumes are sent to help-wanted advertisements in Chicago newspapers: one with Anglo-Saxon names, one with African-American names, and one with fictitious foreign names whose ethnic origin is unidentifiable to most Americans. Resumes with Anglo-Saxon names generate nearly one third more call-backs than identical resumes with non Anglo-Saxon ones, either African-American or Foreign. We take this as evidence that discriminatory behavior is part of a larger pattern of unequal treatment of any member of non-majority groups, ethnic homophily.

Targeting without alienating

The growing diversity of different nations’ populations has encouraged advertisers to adopt their strategy by taking into consideration groups of consumers that were not traditionally targeted, such as cultural and sexual minorities. However, while such targeting has been favourably received among the targeted minorities, it has also engendered unfavourable reactions among majority members. This paper examines a way for advertisers to target a specific minority group within the mainstream media while maintaining resonance among the broader audience. An experiment is conducted to examine viewers’ responses to multicultural advertising in France. Results demonstrate the fundamental role of viewers’ congruence judgements and felt targetedness on the effectiveness of multicultural targeting attempts, and extend our understanding of consumer responses to multicultural advertising.

Do quality perceptions of health and social services vary for different ethnic groups? An empirical investigation

AbstractThe United States is now more ethnically diverse than any other time in its history. In 2000, minority ethnic groups comprised 26% of the US population; by 2010, they comprise 35%, and in 2080 they will form the majority of American citizens. And among these ethnic groups, African Americans (12.4%), Hispanics (15.4%) and Asians (4.4%) were the most predominant in 2000.The growth of this segment of the population is not only in terms of numbers but also in terms of economic development. Minority groups are showing marked improvement in income and education levels leading to greater purchasing power. As a result, for‐profit companies are increasingly targeting minority populations with products and promotions specifically designed for specific minority groups. Even non profit organizations such as educational programs, social service and healthcare agencies are striving to design specific services and culturally competent outreach models in order to serve this increasingly diverse marketplace. But despite the strides made by non profit agencies, several studies note the tremendous disparities between the ethnic and racial groups in the seeking and the receipt of health‐care and social services. Additionally, there is limited empirical information about the perceptions of minority consumers. In order to effectively serve minority groups, it is essential to understand their experiences with the non profit service industry and to assess their ongoing concerns.In this study, we focus on two critical components of the non profit world – healthcare and social services. We conducted a survey to compare and contrast the social service and health‐care quality perceptions of three ethnic groups: Caucasians, African‐Americans and Hispanics. Our study, undertaken in collaboration with community health centers, reveals distinct differences in perceptions between the three ethnic groups. Based on our findings, we outline a set of implementable strategies for social service and community health organizations. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.