Gordon C. Nagayama Hall

Cultural Considerations in Adolescent Suicide Prevention and Psychosocial Treatment.

Ethnic groups differ in rates of suicidal behaviors among youths, the context within which suicidal behavior occurs (e.g., different precipitants, vulnerability and protective factors, and reactions to suicidal behaviors), and patterns of help-seeking. In this article, the authors discuss the cultural context of suicidal behavior among African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and Latino adolescents, and the implications of these contexts for suicide prevention and treatment. Several cross-cutting issues are discussed, including acculturative stress and protective factors within cultures; the roles of religion and spirituality and the family in culturally sensitive interventions; different manifestations and interpretations of distress in different cultures; and the impact of stigma and cultural distrust on help-seeking. The needs for culturally sensitive and community- based interventions are discussed, along with future opportunities for research in intervention development and evaluation.

Toward a theory of sexual aggression: A quadripartite model.

Sexually aggressive behavior against adult females is an increasingly serious societal problem. The need for a unified theoretical model is addressed by integrating the elements of existing models into a quadripartite model in which the heterogeneity of sexual aggressors is accounted for by the prominence of potential etiological factors. The components of the model--physiological sexual arousal, cognitions that justify sexual aggression, affective dyscontrol, and personality problems--function as motivational precursors that increase the probability of sexually aggressive behavior. The relative prominence of these precursors within different sexually aggressive populations is used to define major subtypes.

The Case for Cultural Competency in Psychotherapeutic Interventions

Cultural competency practices have been widely adopted in the mental health field because of the disparities in the quality of services delivered to ethnic minority groups. In this review, we examine the meaning of cultural competency, positions that have been taken in favor of and against it, and the guidelines for its practice in the mental health field. Empirical research that tests the benefits of cultural competency is discussed.

Sexual Aggression against Children A Conceptual Perspective of Etiology

Male sexual aggression against children is a serious and alarmingly common social problem. Treatments for the perpetrators have been only moderately successful. Perhaps a reason for this has been the absence of a unified model of etiology and treatment that includes the most salient motivational factors unique to various subtypes of perpetrators. Such a model would have to be sufficiently flexible to account for the various sexually aggressive modes of expression without being unnecessarily complex or simplistic if it is to be clinically useful. Specifically with respect to sexual aggression against children, a quadripartite model is proposed that includes physiological sexual arousal, cognitions that justify sexual aggression, negative affective states, and personality problems as motivational precursors that increase the probability of sexually aggressive behavior. The relative prominence of these precursors is used as a guideline for assessing and treating particular subtypes of perpetrators. Failure to consider the primary motivational precursor during the initial stages of treatment also may account for the limited success of current treatments.

Meta-Analyses of Ethnic Match as a Predictor of Dropout, Utilization, and Level of Functioning.

Meta-analyses were performed on 7 studies of ethnic match and psychotherapy. From 13 comparisons of ethnic match and dropout, a small overall effect size was found (r = .03). From 16 comparisons of ethnic match and number of sessions attended, a small overall effect size was found (r = .04). Effect sizes for dropout and utilization were heterogeneous, with ethnic minority groups having larger effect sizes than Caucasian Americans. From 9 comparisons of ethnic match and termination Global Assessment Score, a negligible overall effect size was found (r = .01). The small dropout and utilization effect sizes indicate that ethnic match is not a significant clinical predictor of decreasing dropout after the first session or increasing number of sessions attended.

THE INFLUENCE OF MISOGYNOUS RAP MUSIC ON SEXUAL AGGRESSION AGAINST WOMEN

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of cognitive distortions concerning women on sexually aggressive behavior in the laboratory. Twenty-seven men listened to misogynous rap music and 27 men listened to neutral rap music. Participants then viewed neutral, sexual-violent, and assaultive film vignettes and chose one of the vignettes to show to a female confederate. Among the participants in the misogynous music condition, 30% showed the assaultive vignette and 70% showed the neutral vignette. In the neutral condition, 7% showed the sexual-violent or assaultive vignette and 93% showed the neutral vignette. Participants who showed the sexual-violent or assaultive stimuli reported that the confederate was more upset and uncomfortable in viewing these stimuli than did participants who showed the neutral vignette. These findings suggest that misogynous music facilitates sexually aggressive behavior and support the relationship between cognitive distortions and sexual aggression.

Ethnicity and Psychopathology: A Meta-Analytic Review of 31 Years of Comparative MMPI/MMPI-2 Research

Meta-analyses were performed on 25 comparative Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and MMPI-2 studies of 1,428 male African Americans versus 2,837 male European Americans, 12 studies of 1,053 female African Americans versus 1,470 female European Americans, and 13 studies of 500 male Latino Americans and 1,345 male European Americans. Aggregate effect sizes suggest higher scores for ethnic minority groups than for European Americans on some MMPI/MMPI-2 scales and lower scores on others. However, none of the aggregate effect sizes suggest substantive differences from either a statistical or clinical perspective. The MMPI and MMPI-2 apparently do not unfairly portray African Americans and Latinos as pathological. Effect sizes across studies generally did not vary as a function of sociodemographic variables, research setting, or use of the MMPI versus MMPI-2. It is recommended that additional betweenand within-ethnic groups psychopathology research continue.

Ethnicity, Culture, and Sexual Aggression: Risk and Protective Factors

Explanatory models of sexual aggression were examined among mainland Asian American (n=222), Hawaiian Asian American (n=127), and European American men (n=399). The Malamuth et al. (N. M. Malamuth, D. Linz, C. L. Heavey, G. Barnes, & M. Acker, 1995; N. M. Malamuth, R. J. Sockloskie, M. P. Koss, & J. S. Tanaka, 1991) confluence model of sexual aggression, which posits impersonal sex and hostile masculinity as paths to sexual aggression, was consistently supported. Culture-specific moderators of sexual aggression were also identified. Whereas loss of face was a protective factor against sexual aggression in the Asian American samples, it generally was not a protective factor among European Americans. These findings are not a function of actual or perceived minority status. An implication is that theoretical models may need to be augmented with cultural constructs for optimal application in certain ethnic group contexts.

Attributions of victim responsibility, pleasure, and trauma in male rape

The purpose of this study was to examine the following: (a) the relationship between the sexual orientation of a male rape victim and participants’ attributions of the victims degree of responsibility, pleasure, and trauma associated with the assault, and (b) differences between male and female participants in their attributions of these variables. Participants were 396 college students. Participants read a brief report describing a male‐on‐male sexual assault. The victims sexual orientation was described as either heterosexual or homosexual. After reading the report, participants completed a questionnaire assessing their attributions regarding the victims responsibility for the assault, and the amount of pleasure and trauma the victim experienced from the assault. Participants attributed more responsibility, more pleasure, and less trauma to a homosexual victim than to a heterosexual victim. Male participants attributed more responsibility and pleasure to a male rape victim than did female participants.

Prevention of sexual aggression: Sociocultural risk and protective factors.

Physiological, cognitive, affective, and developmental sociocultural risk factors for perpetrating sexual aggression are identified. Feminine and multicultural socialization may serve as protective factors against these risk factors because both forms of socialization emphasize empathy and sexuality in the context of committed relationships. It is proposed that feminist and multicultural education across the developmental span may constitute methods of reducing and preventing the development of sexually aggressive behavior. However, feminist and multicultural approaches may have limited impact without greater acceptance within societal power structures, including psychology. The authors call for psychologists interested in reducing sexually aggressive behavior to become better informed and experienced with feminist and multicultural approaches. They also suggest that it may be time for all persons in society to become competent in multiple domains.