Journal of community psychology最新文献

The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between the psychological resilience of earthquake survivor students and their general health status. This descriptive and correlational study was conducted at a state university in Turkey in June 2023 with the nursing department students of a university that experienced two major earthquakes in Turkey on February 6, 2023. The sample of the study consisted of 287 students. The data of the study were collected with the “Descriptive Characteristics Form,” “Brief Resilience Scale,” and “General Health Questionnaire-12.” Filling out the forms took approximately 5−10 min. It was determined in the present study that the psychological resilience of the earthquake survivor students was moderate. It was found that the girls, second graders, those with higher income levels, those who did not receive medication/professional support for their mental health, and those who described their health as good generally had higher psychological resilience levels. It was found that the general health status of the earthquake survivors was at an increased risk level, and 69% of them were at high risk for mental diseases. The mental health of girls, first graders, those who had low-income levels, those who lost loved ones in the earthquake, those whose houses were damaged, those who received medication/professional support for mental health, those who did not generally participate in distance education, and those who described their health as deficient in general, had worse mental health levels. A high relationship was detected between nursing students' psychological resilience and mental health (p < 0.05). It was concluded in the present study that as the psychological resilience of the students increased, the risk of mental disease decreased.

Following recent events involving racism and violence in policing, the current study sought to understand factors associated with support for related social movements and worries about personal, family, and peer safety. Data were from 78 currently incarcerated young people (M = 16.5 years; 31% Black) and 20 juvenile prison staff (M = 40.3 years; 72% Black) via online surveys. A comparable proportion of young people (47.3%) and staff (47.4%) reported participating in the Black Lives Matter movement. Among young people, prior experiences with police were significantly associated with support for social movements and worries about safety concerning racism and violence in policing. Among staff, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and racial and ethnic identity were significantly associated with social movement support and worries about safety. Civic education and interventions to promote racial and ethnic identity may promote support for systemic change and buffer against worries about racism and violence in policing.

The current study is part of a community engaged planning phase and aimed to identify perceptions related to the prevalence of violent crime, crime contributors, the relationship between the community and law enforcement, and potential interventions and solutions. In March 2021, semistructured interviews were conducted with individuals from five groups who resided or worked in Bessemer, Alabama: (1) Law Enforcement, (2) Residents, (3) Civic Leaders, (4) Community Leaders, and (5) Victims of Crime. Interviews lasted approximately 60 min and were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed according to the guidelines of thematic analysis using NVivo 12. Emerging themes were examined in accordance with the CDC Social-Ecological Model: A Framework for Prevention. Participants (N = 18) were 50.0% female and 77.8% African American with an age range of 25–59 (mean = 43.4 years). Themes that emerged related to crime were: (1) impact, (2) contributors, and (3) solutions. Results indicate that impacts of violent crime at the individual level focused on fear, which led to widespread mental health issues. Relationship level impacts included a lack of trust of law enforcement and neighbors, and community level impacts were decreased neighborhood social cohesion as well as decreased safety. At the societal level, the poor reputation of the city was consistently highlighted. For contributors of crime, being a youth under age 30, drugs, and money were discussed as factors at the individual level. At the relationship level, participants mentioned poor parenting and gangs as crime contributing factors to violent crime. Furthermore, contributing issues related to underresourced schools as well as a poor relationship with law enforcement were brought up at the community level. Similarly, poverty was the overarching contributing issue at the societal level. Solutions that emerged included: education and training in life skills, focusing on young people, family/parenting, conflict resolution programs, programs within schools, improved relationships with law enforcement, and inclusive economic opportunities. Intervention plans are discussed that can merge these stakeholder findings with other data sources.

The aim of this study is to explore young people's perspectives on the factors that facilitate or inhibit empathy and prosocial responding among youth. Qualitative focus groups (n = 29) were undertaken with Irish young people aged 13–17 years relating to their views on the factors that facilitate or inhibit the expression of empathy. Parents, friends, and social media were found to be key influences, whereas barriers identified included societal norms, gender norms, lack of skill, or knowledge and target characteristics. This research provides important insights into adolescents’ perceptions of the social correlates of empathy. Concepts from the sociology of empathy, such as empathy maps and paths, are helpful in drawing out the implications for future research and practice.

Residents of low-socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods suffer from social, economic, and health problems and high exposure to crime and neglect. Based on the social cure approach, the study aimed to examine whether community resources are associated with resilience and well-being, and whether they mediate the associations between personal resources and these outcomes. The moderating effect of participating in community activity was also investigated. A total of 400 residents of low-SES communities, 200 of whom were community activists, completed questionnaires measuring personal resources, community resources, and the outcomes (resilience, well-being). Structural equation modeling revealed the mediating role of community resources. Moderation analysis indicated that different paths led to the outcomes among activists and nonactivists. The results indicate that personal resources alone do not substantially enhance welfare in low-SES communities, but should be channeled through community belonging and commitment. Moreover, professionals working with these communities should take into account the distinctions between activists and nonactivists.

Effective family-based interventions are needed for youth who are experiencing emotional and behavioral difficulties and who are impacted by powerful environmental stressors. Culturally Informed and Flexible Family-Based Treatment for Adolescents (CIFFTA) is a manualized and evidence-based, multicomponent family-based treatment that has been shown to be efficacious in research settings. The purpose of this paper is to report on the effectiveness of implementing CIFFTA for the treatment of Latino and Black youth and families in community settings. Utilization of services offered and changes in youth presenting problems and family functioning were used to evaluate the program. Two hundred thirty-two youth (11–18 years of age) and their caregivers were recruited over 2 years and CIFFTA was delivered by experienced masters-level family therapists over a 12–16-week period. Seventy-six percent met the 8-session criteria for retention in treatment and 71% completed treatment. Results showed significant improvements in youth behavioral and emotional presenting problems, reduction in family conflict and improvement in family cohesion and communication. Caregiver well-being such as reductions in parental stress, relational frustration, and improvement in parental confidence also showed significant improvement. Analyses of reliable change indices showed a substantial improvement in youth who entered the program in the clinical range of presenting problems. The findings point to CIFFTA's ability to retain youth and families who tend to underutilize needed services, to significant reductions in presenting problems, and to improvements in family functioning when implemented in a community setting.