Alfiee M. Breland-Noble

Community and Treatment Engagement for Depressed African American Youth: The AAKOMA FLOA Pilot

This manuscript focuses on the recruitment efforts and pilot testing of a culturally tailored motivational interviewing intervention associated with the AAKOMA Project, a 2-phase treatment engagement intervention trial for depressed African American adolescents and families. The research team used strategic community engagement as reported in other research derived from AAKOMA. For the pilot study, the research team recruited 23 youth, enrolled 17 youth and randomized 16 of those youth to either the intervention or a delayed control group. Findings indicated that success in recruiting and retaining African American youth was sustained from earlier strategic engagement during Phase I of the project and that schools and self referrals were the largest referral sources. Pilot intervention findings highlight the preliminary utility of the intervention (100% of youth completing the intervention initiated depression treatment compared to 75% of the delayed control group) and factors that support the recruitment and engagement of a typically difficult to reach population (depressed African American youth and families). Overall, findings set the stage for further intervention development and testing in larger samples.

Ethnic differences among adolescents beginning treatment for depression.

This study examines ethnic/racial differences at the start of treatment among participants in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS). African American and Latino youth were compared to Caucasian youth on symptom presentation and cognitive variables associated with depression. Contrary to hypothesis, there were no significant differences in symptom presentation as measured by the interview-based items of the Childrens Depression Rating Scale--Revised (CDRS-R). However, African American and Latino youth were both rated as demonstrating more severe symptoms on the observational items of the CDRS-R compared to Caucasian youth. In terms of cognitive variables associated with depression, African Americans reported fewer negative cognitive biases compared to Caucasians, but cognitive biases were significantly correlated with depression severity across ethnic groups.

Pathways to success for psychologists in academic health centers: from early career to emeritus.

Careers in academic health centers (AHCs) come with a unique set of challenges and rewards. Building a stable and rewarding career as a psychologist in an AHC requires the efforts of a whole team of players and coaches. This paper outlines the characteristics of AHCs and the general skills psychologists need to thrive in this type of setting. Advice specific to each stage of career development (early, mid, and late) is offered, highlighting the themes of coaching and teamwork that are critical to success in an AHC.

The Impact of Skin Color on Mental and Behavioral Health in African American and Latina Adolescent Girls: A Review of the Literature

This chapter examines the current literature regarding the significance of skin color and colorism in the lives of African American adolescent girls and Latinas. Issues regarding how girls are socialized to adopt colorist attitudes, how those attitudes impact adolescent girls, and the detrimental health effects of colorism are explored. Concerns related to psychological well-being, behavioral health, and physical health outcomes are also addressed. Additional attention is paid to the dearth of literature on the topic and the importance of future research to address the issues faced by girls of these ethnic groups.

Juvenile mental health courts for adjudicated youth: role implications for child and adolescent psychiatric mental health nurses.

TOPIC Juvenile mental health courts for adjudicated youth. PURPOSE To describe the role of psychiatric nurses in reducing mental health disparities for adjudicated youth via juvenile mental health courts. SOURCES ISI Web of Knowledge; Sage Journals Online; HighWire; PubMed; Google Scholar and Wiley Online Library and websites for psychiatric nursing organizations. Years included: 2000-2010. CONCLUSIONS Juvenile mental health courts may provide a positive and effective alternative to incarceration for youth with mental health problems with psychiatric nurses playing a key role in program implementation.

Lifetime Prevalence and Quality of Interracial Interactions on Color Consciousness Among White Young Adults

Color consciousness occurs when individuals identify and respond to the varied skin tones of others. Specifically, African American issues of color consciousness are rooted in the oppression and enslavement of the first Africans forcibly transported to America. As African Americans moved from the plantations to cities and towns, a color-based caste system followed. This caste system assisted in the establishment of an African American middle class with a disproportionate number of lighter-skinned African Americans. The findings regarding the salience of socioeconomic factors, though not conclusive, point to the continued significance of avoiding the trivialization of skin tone as a stimulus characteristic in Black-White interactions.