Journal of community psychology最新文献

Over the last decade, a range of research has demonstrated the detrimental impacts of policies criminalizing migration (“crimmigration”) on Latinx mental health. In this study, we seek to examine youth perspectives on how crimmigration policies affect Latinx adolescents' connections to Latinx identity, culture, and communities and the implications for Latinx youth mental health. We explored how immigration enforcement policies affect Latinx youths' mental health using photovoice with ten youth in a high-deportation county in Atlanta in 2022. We held eight photo-elicited sessions using SHOWED/VENCER, a bilingual guide to elicit critical dialogue. Sessions were transcribed and coded for analysis, which included describing, comparing, and categorizing coded data into themes. We identified two parallel processes to describe how crimmigration policies affect Latinx youth cultural and community connections: (1) exclusionary spaces exert pressure to assimilate and bring emotional costs, (2) inclusive spaces for Latinx youth strengthen their cultural identity and connection to Latinx culture and community, promoting resilience and resistance. In their own words, youth described assimilation as a pressure that isolated them from their communities and included the adoption of a worldview that Latinx people have to prove they are worthy of citizenship and its benefits and explained how this was influenced by crimmigration policies. Furthermore, youth found resisting assimilation by preserving their culture was an important way of strengthening resilience against ongoing oppression. These important findings should shape future research and intervention in Latinx youth mental health by addressing crimmigration policies and promoting cultural assets for Latinx youth.

This study used a qualitative research design to investigate the key components, infrastructure, processes, and facilitators involved in the implementation of Pathways Home Early Childhood, a housing support pilot program implemented within a Head Start grantee for families facing homelessness, as well as how participating parents experienced the program. We held parent interviews, a staff focus group, and stakeholder interviews with a total of 22 informants, followed by thematic analysis and a member-checking group. Findings include salient guidance for similar efforts to screen for homelessness and provide support and navigation to families. Themes included positive and negative experiences of families in obtaining housing; infrastructure needed to develop and sustain a housing program within Head Start; critical factors for successful implementation; and economic and psychological benefits for enrolled families. These findings are consistent with limited prior research on housing voucher programs for families with children and point to opportunities for program refinement and future evaluation efforts.

Youth affected by household challenges are more susceptible to early substance use and are more than twice as likely to develop a substance use disorder later in adulthood than their peers. Despite the considerable need, effective, community-based substance use prevention programs are limited and may not address the current needs of youth, specifically for Black youth. Better Together is an age-appropriate, culturally relevant intervention designed to prevent substance use among Black youth exposed to household challenges. The newly created intervention is intended to be delivered in partnership with libraries. This study describes the process used to assess the acceptability and improvement of the Better Together Intervention. A total of 23 individuals (i.e., 9 librarians, 6 parents, and 8 youth) participated in focus groups. In terms of acceptability, participants found Better Together to be clear, relatable, and well-organized. They made five recommendations for improvements. Steps to revise the intervention based on participant responses and assess feasibility are discussed.

Betrayal, particularly within marginalized communities, is a complex experience with deep psychological and societal implications. This study explores the generational impacts of betrayal through the experiences of nine participants from three families in Flint, Michigan. Using a generational case study design, this study examines how interpersonal, cultural, and institutional betrayals coexist, evolve, and influence inter- and intra-personal community dynamics. Findings highlight the multilayered nature of betrayal, where systemic injustices affect cycles of mistrust and trauma across generations. Participants described institutional failures during the Flint Water Crisis as a pivotal betrayal, with subsequent experiences of racial and economic inequities compounding their pre-existing distrust. Despite these challenges, participants demonstrated resilience through personal faith, community initiatives, and efforts to promote inclusivity. This study contributes to our collective understanding of the dynamics of distrust and betrayal in marginalized communities and advocates for further research to explore broader, multi-city, and longitudinal perspectives.