Journal of Black Psychology

This study sought to explore whether the resonance of certain orientations and dimensions asserted to be distinctive of Black culture (affect, communalism, and spirituality) and mainstream American culture (competition, effort optimism, and individualism) wer related to the strategies used by African American youth to cope with perceived discrimination. Participants wer 120 African American youth from two geographical regions in the United States (northern Alabama, n = 71; central Ohio, n = 49). The findings suggested that orientations and corresponding dimensions of Black culture and mainstream American culture might evidence varying degrees of resonance among African American youth from disparate social-environmental contexts. The findings also indicated that spirituality and effort optimism wer related to greater use of self-reliance/problemsolving coping strategies, whereas communalism was related to lower use of externalizing coping strategies. The implications of cultural orientation for the adjustment and psychological functioning of African American youth in the face of multiple racial contingencies are discussed.

Many organizations have policies concerning the use of technology to monitor the communications of employees. The present study explored the effects of these policies on beliefs and preferences of Black job applicants. Using a simulated job advertisement, we varied organizational monitoring policies and application submission methods in a 2 × 2 between-subjects experiment with 600 participants from a professional organization of Black engineers. Using a multiple stakeholder model of organizational privacy as a theoretical framework, we measured the perceived potential for discrimination and the degree to which the simulated organization was seen as an attractive workplace for minorities. Results indicated that failing to protect employees’ and applicants’ privacy made the organization seem less attractive as an employer. Likewise, a lack of privacy protection was seen as a potential source of discrimination. These findings supported theoretical assertions concerning two of four normative bases of privacy preferences.

One of the single most influential factors on current and future cognitive functioning is educational attainment. We examined the influence of educational desegregation on cognitive performance using Horn’s Gf-Gc theory among older African Americans. The data on 197 African Americans included school attendance (desegregated [DS] or segregated [SS]) and the number of years they attended desegregated schools. Using measures of fluid (inductive reasoning and spatial ability) and crystallized (number concept and vocabulary) ability to assess cognition, the results showed that the DS group had significantly higher mean cognitive scores compared to the SS group. After controlling for age, gender, years of education, and years in desegregated schools, however, we found no difference between the DS and SS groups on measures of number concept, inductive reasoning, and general fluid and crystallized abilities but found differences for measures of vocabulary and spatial ability. The results were discussed in relation to differences in schooling and other potential influences over the life course.

In the present study, the Index of Race-Related Stress (IRRS) was administered to a sample of urban African American adolescents. This instrument has been used among samples of adult and collegiate African Americans, and the purpose of the present study was to examine the factor structure of adolescent responses. The scale was modified and administered to a sample of 324 African American adolescents. The results provided empirical evidence of validity for the IRRS, particularly as a measure of race-related stress among adolescents. The measure required some modifications, which included deletion of items and rewording some questions to make them relevant for an adolescent sample. Future research should consider the assessment of race-related stress among adolescent samples to understand its association with mental and physical health.

This study cross-validated the Africentrism Scale and investigated the relationship between Africentrism and demographic variables in a diverse sample of individuals of African descent. Participants were 206 individuals who identified as African, African American, or Caribbean/West Indian. Demographic variables included age, gender, ethnic background, educational level, place of rearing, and level of identification with African ancestry. The results suggested that age and education were related to Africentrism with younger and less educated individuals endorsing less Africentrism. No other demographic variables emerged as significant predictors. Caribbeans had a slightly lower score than others after controlling for age. Overall, the Africentrism Scale demonstrated solid internal consistency (coefficient alpha) and convergent validity (inverse association to a measure of cultural misorientation). In addition, the obtained factor structure was similar to that obtained in the original sample.

The current study draws on a hierarchical linear regression procedure to address the problem of overinterpretation in research on racial identity attitudes and academic achievement. The Racial Identity Attitude Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and a background questionnaire were administered to 128 African American students from a Historically Black College & University. Results show that the unique effect of racial identity on academic outcome is minimal. Moreover, over 50% of racial identity’s effect on academic outcome is predicted by individual differences in self-esteem. A model examining the relationship between racial identity, self-esteem, and academic outcome is presented.

The present study identified predictors of African American adolescent sexual activity. An ecological model of personal, familial, and extrafamilial risk factors was proposed. Forty-eight female and 53 male African American adolescents participated. Hierarchical logistic regression and structural equation modeling found some support for the model. Risk factors were found at each level of the adolescents social ecology and explained over 80% of the variance in sexual activity. Being older, male, having low parental monitoring, using drugs, and having friends that used drugs decreased the probability of being a virgin. Virgins also expected to live 10 years longer than nonvirgins. It was suggested that fathers and community members should take a more active role in adolescents lives to curb the threat of HIV/AIDS and other STDs in the African American community.