Dispelling the Myth: Black Couples Are Not Interested in Marriage.

This fact sheet highlights the reality of seven common myths about black marriage. The aims in doing so are twofold: (1) to provide accurate information concerning demographic trends in black relationships among low-income persons, and (2) to share strategies safety-net service providers may use to encourage their clients to participate in healthy marriage and relationship education program

Developing Effective Diabetes Programming for Black Men.

The purpose of this study is to obtain feedback from 20 men on developing effective programming to reduce the impact of diabetes (t2dm) among Black men. Three focus groups were convened in Des Moines, Iowa. Men were recruited, all either diagnosed with t2dm (n = 10), pre-diabetic (n = 1), or experienced t2dm through family and friends (n = 9). The results highlighted themes related to t2dm knowledge, masculinity, and behavioral health; gender-centered diabetes management education; and family support and functioning. Men provided recommendations for program format and content, desirable facilitator characteristics, and whether to include spouses/partners, relatives, and friends. These results provide guidance and ideas to nurses wishing to enhance t2dm education and patient outcomes for Black men

Prevention effects on trajectories of African American adolescents\u27 exposure to interparental conflict and depressive symptoms.

The present study investigates the trajectory of children\u27s exposure to interparental conflict during adolescence, its effects on adolescents\u27 psychological adjustment, as well as the ability of a family-centered prevention program to alter this trajectory. A total of 331 African American couples with an adolescent or preadolescent child participated in a randomized control trial of the Promoting Strong African American Families program, a newly developed program targeting couple and cocaregiving processes. Using a multi-informant, latent growth curve approach, child exposure to interparental conflict during adolescence was found to be stable over a period of 2 years among families in the control group, but significantly declined among families in the treatment condition. Rates of change were significantly different between intervention and control groups based on parents\u27 report of youth exposure to interparental conflict, but not for child\u27s report. Structural equation models found trajectory parameters of interparental conflict predicted changes in adolescent depressive symptoms, with increasing rates of changes in conflict associated with increases in adolescent internalizing symptoms over the 2-year duration of the study. Finally, a significant indirect effect was identified linking treatment, changes in parents\u27 reports of child exposure to interparental conflict, and adolescent depressive symptoms. The implications for research and intervention are discussed

Married Black men's opinions as to why Black women are disproportionately single: A qualitative study

Abstract This study's purpose was to explore the reasons Black women are disproportionately single according to the unique viewpoint of married Black men. The sample comprises 52 married Black men who resided in northeast Georgia (mean age = 43). Qualitative interviews were conducted in 2010 as part of the Pathways to Marriage study. The authors analyzed the data in a collaborative fashion and utilized content analyses to explore the relationships in the data, which were derived from qualitative interviews with the men. Findings on the reasons for the disproportionality of singlehood among Black women reflected these four themes: gender relations, marriage education and socialization, individual development, and a preference for gay/lesbian relationships. Recommendations for future research are discussed. Recent estimates highlight an important trend-Black women are less likely to enter into marriage or remarry than are Blac