American journal of community psychology最新文献

Social isolation has reached concerning rates, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Social integration is critical to combatting social isolation and loneliness by promoting a sense of community and belonging. Yet, most existing research centers on fostering close personal relationships within family and friend networks. Social integration within the neighborhood context (e.g., chatting with neighbors, participating in local organizations) is another tool that can be used to combat loneliness, but less is known about the process of social integration for residents situated in different sociodemographic groups. The current study examines variability in the process of neighborhood social integration across sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., social role, racial-ethnic identity, and housing tenure). Thematic analyses were conducted on semi-structured interviews with 29 residents of Wards 4 and 5 of Washington, D.C. Results suggested that relative to caregivers and community leaders, youth reported fewer opportunities for neighborhood social integration; frequently noted barriers were lack of shared identity, the transient nature of D.C., and school location. Despite sociodemographic heterogeneity in facilitators and barriers to neighborhood social integration, many residents called for more community programming and 'third places' to facilitate neighborhood connections.

Aim: We explored the perceived barriers and facilitators faced by leaders when initiating self-help groups (SHGs) for emotional well-being using an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design that combined focus groups and an online survey. Leaders, educators, and technicians from supportive organizations participated in four focus groups (n = 22), and 46% (n = 30) of trainees from SHGs leadership training courses completed the survey. Thematic analysis of qualitative data, combined with descriptive and textual analyses of survey responses, revealed two overarching themes: learning to lead and leading in practice. Early success of SHGs was linked to leaders' self-motivation and targeted leadership training. Facilitators included shared task distribution, horizontal relationships, and active dialogue facilitated leadership, while barriers comprised perceived role overload and logistical burdens. Survey findings reinforced the importance of co-responsibility, key training elements, and external support, including meeting spaces, integration, and publicity. These results suggest that initiating and maintaining mutual SHGs for emotional well-being may require recognizing the central role of leaders. Targeted training, professional accompaniment, and a stable community network are essential supports.

This qualitative scoping review describes practices used in out-of-school programs for Black youth that support their racial-ethnic identity and sociopolitical development. Database searches yielded 321 articles. Inclusion criteria prioritized studies that contained rich descriptions of programs and practices, yielding 28 articles for analysis. Through reflexive thematic analysis, we identified four main practices across programs: (1) Program leaders fostered safe and positive environments and relationships, incorporating culturally and developmentally relevant content that counters deficit messages; (2) Programs connected youth to the cultural Diaspora and a historic legacy of justice-seekers resisting marginalization and oppression; (3) Program activities provided youth explicit opportunities to develop positive identities and explore how historical harms shape their lives; (4) Programs supported youth to build and practice skills that could contribute to their individual success and prepare them to take action for a more just future. Findings specify a framework for research-backed recommendations for out-of-school program practices that support positive Black youth development.

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) individuals experience disproportionate rates of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; e.g., physical or emotional abuse and neglect) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, few studies have considered how historical loss may exacerbate the negative impact of ACEs in relation to PTSD symptoms, particularly among AI/AN adults. The current study examined how historical loss and historical loss-associated symptoms may strengthen the relation between ACEs and PTSD symptoms among AI/AN adults. Due to gender differences in ACEs exposure, we also examined possible gender differences in the frequency of ACEs, historical loss, historical loss associated symptoms, and PTSD symptoms in this sample (Total N = 266; 173 women, 83 men, 9 individuals who identified as Two-Spirit, non-binary, or transgender). Results from moderation analyses indicated that historical loss, historical loss associated symptoms, and ACEs were associated with greater PTSD symptoms. Individuals with high historical loss associated symptoms and ACEs had greater PTSD symptoms compared to those with high historical loss associated symptoms and low ACEs. Results from one-way ANOVAs suggested that Two-Spirit/transgender/non-binary AI/AN adults had the highest ACEs, historical loss associated symptoms, and PTSD symptoms. The current findings provide implications for PTSD interventions and public health initiatives to prevent ACEs and future sociopolitical harms to AI/AN Peoples.

Portland Street Response (PSR) is an alternative first response program located in Portland, Oregon. The program assists individuals experiencing mental health crises by providing an unarmed first response in non-violent situations that ordinarily would be responded to by armed police officers. In order for such programs to thrive, collaboration with other organizations is crucial. Service-providing organizations are uniquely prepared to collaborate with programs such as PSR due to their proximity to vulnerable communities. Currently, there is a lack of information about the perspectives of service providers concerning alternative first response programs, particularly regarding their motivations for collaboration. The current study utilizes qualitative interviewing methods to examine motivation to collaborate. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 participants and then analyzed to uncover key themes. The current study resulted in themes pertaining to motivations for collaboration, including the importance of building relationships, establishing and maintaining trust, and themes pertaining to shared values, such as a commitment to equity. The current study also revealed the importance of concrete program features in relation to collaboration, specifically access to resources and mobility. This research has implications for other alternative first response programs collaborating with local service providers in communities across the US.

Community violence is a geographically concentrated health disparity. Subsequently, community violence prevention frameworks emphasize the need for place-based intervention and research. However, how to use and integrate methods that generate place-based knowledge and the potential benefits of using and integrating these place-based methods, is lacking. We describe a place-based methodology that integrates data gathered from multiple qualitative and quantitative methods, including app-based geospatial data, walking interviews, participant photographs, and publicly available data. Using Ecological Systems Theory to guide analysis, we contrasted the type of information gathered through these various methods and explored to what extent results aligned or diverged. Walking interviews more frequently generated data related to participants' neighborhoods, such as neighborhood conditions that promote safety as well as differences in neighborhoods' level of access to these safety-promoting conditions. Each method provided unique data that complemented-and illustrated the complexity of-results derived from the other methods. For example, the presence of mediating organizations like neighborhood associations, as described by participants, was reflected in the high level of registered neighborhood organizations in the study area compared to the city at large. However, for other themes-such as regarding access to public green spaces-publicly available quantitative data were misaligned with participants' experiences and did not capture components such as access and quality. Using an integrated, place-based methodology generated insights across ecological system levels related to community violence, which can be used to inform multiple levels of intervention and action.

Research suggests that neighborhood conditions may shape parenting practices. However, few qualitative studies have examined these patterns in parents of young children. Using focus group methodology with 30 urban parents, this qualitative study examined how the neighborhood environment may relate to experiences of parenting young children (ages 3-5 years, M = 4.52, SD = 1.07; 63% female). The sample was predominantly composed of female and biological parents, with about 50% identifying as Hispanic/Latino, most identifying as Black/African American (63%), and 40% identifying as having an immigrant background. Analyses revealed six key themes across 314 nodes related to the influence of neighborhood conditions on parenting: (a) distal neighborhood influences, (b) parents' distress about the neighborhood, (c) parents shaping development, (d) restriction and withdrawal, (e) navigating neighborhood resources, and (f) the role of the social environment. These themes are consistent with extensions of the Family Stress Model, which suggest that parents' awareness of community stressors contributes to psychological distress, shaping how they engage with their children and navigate their neighborhoods. Notably, across themes, parents frequently reflected on how these challenges directly impact their young children's development and well-being. Findings also suggested that patterns of adaptive parenting may vary based on immigrant origin, neighborhood context, and parent and child characteristics (e.g., age, race, and biological sex). The results suggested that, despite neighborhood challenges, parents actively employ strategies to protect and nurture their children, demonstrating resilience in their parenting practices.

This article introduces "auto-photovoice," a novel self-reflexive extension of photovoice methodology where participant-researchers turn the camera on themselves to explore their personal experiences and observations of a phenomenon. In our exemplar project, students and faculty codesigned and implemented auto-photovoice methodology during a 10-week online community psychology graduate seminar during the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine. Our photos addressed the prompt, "What inequities do we experience and witness in well-being related to COVID-19?" The initial analysis of weekly discussions of the photos identified 24 themes regarding COVID-19 impacts, which we later synthesized into four more general themes: (1) systemic social injustices, (2) abuses of power, (3) inequitable access, and (4) differential experiences among workers. As participant-researchers practicing auto-photovoice, we created a sense of community and an empowering pedagogy in our first remote online class during the initial weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a methodology rooted in epistemologies that value reflexive and participatory knowledge creation, auto-photovoice facilitates us working empathically and authentically with communities in projects characterized by epistemic respect and justice.

Some mentoring programs for youth have incorporated principles or strategies from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), but research addressing the effectiveness of such programs is limited. This research is an evaluation of the impact of participation in Reach & Rise®, a program in which all mentors are supported in using CBT principles in their relationships with youth. Researchers randomly assigned youth either to be matched with a mentor through Reach & Rise® (i.e., treatment group; n = 316) or a waitlist control group (n = 284). We examined intent-to-treat effects using youth and caregiver survey data 15 months after study enrollment. Relative to the waitlist control group, we found treatment group youth to be significantly less likely at follow-up to report delinquent behavior (Treatment: 8%, Control: 15%, respectively) and substance use (28% and 43%, respectively). Treatment group youth also had significantly greater self-reported connectedness to school (Cohen's d = 0.267) and caregiver-reported academic performance (d = 0.214) and, at borderline significance (p = .05), greater reported connectedness to their families (d = 0.177). The groups did not differ on the remaining measures, which included youth reports of depressive symptoms, happiness, hope for the future, life satisfaction, and quality of peer relationships. Reach & Rise® shows promise for reducing problem behavior among youth while also positioning them for success and positive adaptation in contexts that are important for adolescent development. In the future, researchers should investigate avenues for broadening the scope of benefits to include aspects of emotional well-being. In view of the support established through this research for the effectiveness of the overall program, another logical next step would be to examine the unique contribution of the CBT principles embedded in the program to youth outcomes.

Community coalitions have the potential to elicit diverse participants' perspectives on complex issues and generate shared commitment to adaptive strategies. Ideally, these approaches have been found effective elsewhere. Despite evidence that leadership plays a generally important role in coalitions, there have been limited prior findings about how leadership may support the use of evidence-based practices. The purpose of the current study was to assess whether three facets of inclusive leadership-engaging communication, inclusive decision making, and inclusion of community residents-predicted the number, reach, and fidelity of coalitions' evidence-based practices. The study context was 64 Pennsylvania and Missouri youth substance misuse prevention coalitions. Multiple regressions were used to estimate the lagged effects of communication, inclusive decision making, and inclusion of community residents on the number of evidence-based practices used, their reach, and fidelity, respectively. Inclusive leadership was positively associated with the number of evidence-based practices coalitions used and how many parents and youth those programs reached, but not with evidence-based practice fidelity. Findings from this study indicate that inclusive coalition leadership warrants the time and skills entailed. Community psychologists are well-suited to support coalitions in this empowering approach to decision making and implementation.