Serge Madhere

Exposure to community violence and African American children: A multidimensional model of risks and resources

The present study seeks to investigate how various facets of social and emotional adjustment, in a sample of urban African American children, are affected by their chronic exposure to community violence and other risk factors in their lives. It further explores how various resources in their environment sustain these childrens adjustment at home and in school. In examining these issues, we endeavored to account for both the general and the differential effects of risk factors and resources on social-emotional adjustment. The fundamental problem explored in this study is the extent to which the various indicators of adjustment are differentially impacted by a common set of risk factors, and enhanced through a common set of protective mechanisms.

SOCIALIZATION FORCES AND THE STABILITY OF WORK VALUES FROM LATE ADOLESCENCE TO EARLY ADULTHOOD

The present report is of findings from a longitudinal study of work values. The findings relate to four important areas, (a) the significance of parental socialization in the formation of intrinsic and extrinsic work values, (b) the effect of early employment on intrinsic and extrinsic work values, respectively, (c) the differential effects of these social experiences across ethnic and gender groups, (d) and the stability of intrinsic and extrinsic work values from late adolescence to the early years of adulthood. In a sample of 3290 African American and Caucasian students, young people consistently placed greater emphasis on intrinsic than on extrinsic work values. There was a decline in extrinsic work values between adolescence and the early years of adulthood. When parents held high aspirations, their children placed greater emphasis on work orientations. Race had a more significant influence on work values than either socioeconomic status or employment experience.

Internalization of the Thin Ideal as a Predictor of Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating in African, African-American, and Afro-Caribbean Female College Students

This study, conducted at a historically Black university, evaluated the impact of awareness and internalization of the Western thin ideal of beauty on body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and bulimia in African-American, African, and Caribbean women. The relationship between internalization of the thin ideal and disordered eating was moderated by ethnicity, with the relationship significant only for the African-American group. Internalization functioned as a mediator between awareness of the thin ideal and both drive for thinness and bulimia, but only for the African-American group. These results suggest that the sociocultural model may not be as valuable in predicting eating disturbance in women from non-Western societies.

Relationships among Blood Pressure, Triglycerides and Verbal Learning in African Americans

BACKGROUND Individuals at greater risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) display poorer cognitive functioning across various cognitive domains. This finding is particularly prevalent among older adults; however, few studies examine these relationships among younger adults or among African Americans. PURPOSE The objective was to examine the relationships among 2 cardiovascular risk factors, elevated blood pressure and elevated triglycerides, and verbal learning in a community-based sample of African Americans. METHODS Measurements of blood pressure and triglycerides were obtained in 121 African-American adults and compared to performance on 3 domains of the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II). RESULTS Blood pressure was not related to CVLT-II performance. Triglyceride levels were inversely related to CVLT-II performance. Higher triglyceride levels were associated with poorer immediate, short delay and long delay recall. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with studies involving older participants, the current investigation shows that in a nonelderly sample of African Americans, triglyceride levels may be related to cognitive functioning. Because early detection and intervention of vascular-related cognitive impairment may have a salutary effect, future studies should include younger adults to highlight the impact of cardiovascular risk on cognition.

The Significance of Contextual Factors in African American Students' Transfer of Learning

This study sought to address the lack of experimental research examining the influence of contextual factors on African American students’ learning. A total of 162 low-income African American and White fourth graders were randomly assigned to ethnically homogeneous, communally structured groups of three to work on a motion acceleration task using either computer simulation or physical tools, or to a control group that did not participate in the learning activities. A 3 (condition) × 2 (ethnicity) MANOVA was computed with initial learning and transfer as dependent variables. Results indicate African American and White students performed equally well on the test of initial learning, with both groups scoring significantly higher than the control group. However, African Americans’ transfer outcomes were better than those of their White counterparts. Regarding tools, work with physical apparatus yielded better transfer outcomes than work with computer simulation. Implications for creating optimal learning contexts for African American students are discussed.

Social Ecology, Genomics, and African American Health: A Nonlinear Dynamical Perspective:

This article offers a model that clarifies the degree of interdependence between social ecology and genomic processes. Drawing on principles from nonlinear dynamics, the model delineates major lines of bifurcation involving peoples habitat, their family health history, and collective catastrophes experienced by their community. It shows how mechanisms of resource acquisition, depletion, and preservation can lead to disruptions in basic metabolism and in the activity of cytokines, neurotransmitters, and protein kinases, thus giving impetus to epigenetic changes. The hypotheses generated from the model are discussed throughout the article for their relevance to health problems among African Americans. Where appropriate, they are examined in light of data from the National Vital Statistics System. Multiple health outcomes are considered. For any one of them, the model makes clear the unique and converging contributions of multiple antecedent factors.

THE DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE CURRENT LIFE ORIENTATION SCALE

This paper discusses the theoretical framework for the Current Life Orientation Scale. This instrument measures the scope of personal values in five broad areas. Investigations with three age groups (124 African-Americans and 20 older volunteers) show that all five subscores have high reliability and are not significantly affected by social desirability. Patterns of correlations with Rokeachs Value Survey (n = 71) and Coopersmiths Self-esteem Inventory (n = 32) provide evidence regarding the convergent and discriminant validity of the scale.

Psychometric properties of the Cook Medley hostility scale and its association with inflammatory markers in African Americans.

Dispositional hostility as measured by the Cook Medley Hostility (Ho) Scale has been associated with inflammation and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. There is evidence that suggests that factors of hostility are more useful in predicting poor cardiovascular health outcomes than a single hostility construct. The purpose of this study was to investigate the latent factors of hostility and their association with inflammatory markers interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in an African-American community sample. This racial/ethnic group has been largely excluded from this line of research despite their disproportionate burden of CVD and its risk factors. Blood samples for plasma IL-6 and CRP were collected on the same day the Ho Scale was administered. Plasma IL-6 and CRP levels were determined using enzymatic-linked immunosorbent assay. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed three latent main factors of hostility: Neuroticism, Manichaeism and Moral Primitiveness, and seven intermediary subfactors. Of the subfactors, hostile affect was significantly associated with greater CRP levels and predatory self interest was significantly associated with greater IL-6 levels. Findings suggest that African Americans have a unique pattern of hostility and two latent subfactors are associated with a marker of CVD. Based on the findings, future studies should aim to further delineate how hostility influences health outcomes in African Americans.

Acceptance, Resistance, and the Value System of Young Adults

This discussion concerns criterion-referenced interpretation of value scales. To improve the process, borrowing from social judgment theory is suggested to expand the conventional taxonomy of affective goals. Testing that approach with a group of 145 predominantly black college freshmen, the study illuminates the patterns of adherence and resistance in their value system. Spirituality was the most salient dimension for a majority (55%) of participants. One out of four relegated concerns for financial success and power to the periphery of their value system.

SELF-ESTEEM, SOURCE OF INFLUENCE, AND ORIENTATION TOWARD FREEDOM AND SOLIDARITY'

With 98 undergraduate students the effects of four factors on orientation toward freedom and solidarity were examined. The four factors were self-esteem, source of influence, age, and social desirability. An analysis of covariance controlling for the effects of social desirability and age yielded a significant main effect only for the self-esteem factor. Subjects with high self-esteem scores rated freedom and solidarity higher than did those with lower self-esteem scores. The other factor contributed to a significant interaction. The difference due to self-esteem was salient among people who attributed their values to parental rather than peer influence.