This book examines the relationship between culture and psychopathology to determine if proposed psychological risk factors ( low ethnic identification and high level of acculturative stress) are predictive of several key mental health variables related to suicide and eating disorder behaviors (depression, anxiety, suicidality, body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness) in individuals of African descent in the U.S. Results confirm the hypothesis that low ethnic identification attitudes (low African Self-fortification) interacts with acculturative stress to predict greater suicidality in African American men while a low value for African Centered Relationships predicts Drive for Thinness in African American women.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between culture and psychopathology to determine if proposed psychological risk factors (i.e., ethnic identification and acculturative stress) are predictive of several key mental health variables related to suicide and eating disorder behaviors (i.e., depression, anxiety, suicidality, body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness) in minority versus non-minority undergraduate students. The main hypothesis is that factors related to a low ethnic identification will be a risk for greater suicidality (i.e., suicide ideation) and eating disorder behaviors (i.e., body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness) among African American individuals who report acculturative stress. Results confirm the hypothesis that a low ethnic identification on the MEIM interacts with cculturative stress to predict greater suicidality (r=. 58, p

Suicide in African Americans

Suicide among African Americans occurs at about half the rate with which it occurs among white Americans. Why is the black rate of suicide so much lower, particularly when one considers the effects of racism and other socio-economic factors on African Americans? One answer that has been offered is that churches within the African-American community have a greater influence than among white Americans and that they provide amelioration of social forces that would otherwise lead to suicide. To date no other book has provided an in-depth ethnographic study of the buffering effect of the black church against suicide. Findings from Early's study indicate that there is a consensus within the black community in terms of its attitudes and beliefs toward suicide. Early concludes that suicide is alien to underlying African-American belief systems and a complete denial of what it means to be black. This important study will be invaluable to sociologists and others studying contemporary race relations and social problems.

Non-suicidal self-injury and eating disorders represent significant problems among today’s youth and pose unique challenges for clinicians, particularly when they co-occur. This book is a rare resource in that it provides cutting-edge information on the interactions between self-injury and disordered eating, empirically informed treatments for the co-occurrence of these behaviors, and specific topics relevant to understanding nuances in the risk factors, treatment, and prevention of both self-injury and eating disorders. Practitioners, graduate students, and researchers working within this specialized area will find this text to be instrumental in advancing their knowledge and improving the treatment of self-injury in those with eating disorders.

Mental health care needs vary in different groups of people, but many healthcare professionals have a poor understanding of exactly how. From ethnicity to sexuality, family to religion, "Mental Health Care for People of Diverse Backgrounds" is a unique examination of how cultures can, and should, influence psychological services. It presents both theoretical and practical information regarding assessment, diagnosis and treatment. Concentrating on empirically based treatments, the book fuses clinical experience and research to give a wide-ranging overview. It also features many illuminating case studies. It is an invaluable reference for all mental healthcare professionals including psychologists, psychiatrists, doctors, social workers, nurses and counsellors, as well as students and academics with an interest in mental healthcare. "The information contained in these chapters is intended for individuals with many levels of clinical training and is therefore appropriate for trainees in psychology and psychiatry, as well as experienced mental health providers. The chapters in this book contain information relevant to assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of individuals from diverse populations." - Julia D Buckner, Yezzennya Castro, Jill M Holm-Denoma and Thomas E Joiner Jr.

What will the ethnic, racial and cultural face of the United States look like in the upcoming decades, and how will the American population adapt to these changes? Immigration, Cultural Identity, and Mental Health: Psycho-social Implications of the Reshaping of America outlines the various psychosocial impacts of immigration on cultural identity and its impact on mainstream culture. Thoroughly researched, this book examines how cultural identity relates to individual mental health and should be taken into account in mental health treatment. In a time when globalization is decreasing the importance of national boundaries and impacting cultural identity for both minority and mainstream populations, the authors explore the multiple facets of what immigration means for culture and mental health. The authors review the concept of acculturation and examine not only how the immigrant's identity transforms through this process, but also how the immigrant transforms the host culture through inter-culturation. The authors detail the risk factors and protective factors that affect the first generation and subsequent generations of immigrants in their adaptation to American society, and also seek to dispel myths and clarify statistics of criminality among immigrant populations. Further, the book aims to elucidate the importance of ethnicity and race in the psycho-therapeutic encounter and offers treatment recommendations on how to approach and discuss issues of ethnicity and race in psychotherapy. It also presents evidence-based psychological treatment interventions for immigrants and members of minority populations and shows how psychotherapy involves the creation of new, more adaptive narratives that can provide healing, personal growth, and relevance to the immigrant experience. Throughout, the authors provide clinical case examples to illustrate the concepts presented.