Similarities or Differences in Identity Development? The Impact of Acculturation and Gender on Identity Process and Outcome

This study examined the effects of variations in acculturation and gender on identity processes and outcomes. Three hundred fifty-seven students at a culturally diverse university completed measures of identity processes (exploration, commitment, and identity style) and outcomes (identity status). The generalizability of the underlying identity processes across contextual variations was ascertained by evaluating the consistency of factor solutions across immigrant generation and gender. Results suggested that the processes underlying identity development are consistent across variations in acculturation and gender. Supplemental analyses revealed effects of acculturation and gender on the extent to which individuals utilized various identity processes and manifested various identity outcomes

The Role of Identity in Acculturation among Immigrant People: Theoretical Propositions, Empirical Questions, and Applied Recommendations

The present paper advances theoretical propositions regarding the relationship between acculturation and identity. The most central thesis argued is that acculturation represents changes in cultural identity and that personal identity has the potential to ‘anchor’ immigrant people during their transition to a new society. The article emphasizes the experiences of nonwhite, non-Western immigrant people moving to Western nations. The article also calls for research on heretofore unexplored aspects of the relationship of acculturation to personal and social identity. Ideas are proposed for interventions to promote cultural identity change and personal identity coherence

The Role of Identity in Acculturation among Immigrant People: Theoretical Propositions, Empirical Questions, and Applied Recommendations

The present paper advances theoretical propositions regarding the relationship between acculturation and identity. The most central thesis argued is that acculturation represents changes in cultural identity and that personal identity has the potential to ‘anchor’ immigrant people during their transition to a new society. The article emphasizes the experiences of nonwhite, non-Western immigrant people moving to Western nations. The article also calls for research on heretofore unexplored aspects of the relationship of acculturation to personal and social identity. Ideas are proposed for interventions to promote cultural identity change and personal identity coherence

Toward an Interdisciplinary Study of Acculturation, Identity, and Culture

As both Côté and Hand point out in their commentaries, acculturation, identity, and culture are complex processes that are determined and affected by the con-texts in which they operate. As we stated in our article in this issue, we do not dismiss the notion that culture and identity are complex and individualized phenomena that vary from one person or context to the next. However, our goal is pragmatic in that we wish to operationalize acculturation, identity, and culture for empirical research that can then be used to design and support intervention efforts. To design interventions that consist of core components but can be adapted for specific immigrant groups and receiving societies, we believe that it is necessary to develop ‘quasi-uni-versal’ principles about what personal, social, and cultural identity are and how they operate and are affected by the experience and process of international migration

A Comparison of Two Approaches for Facilitating Identity Exploration Processes in Emerging Adults

This article, using a controlled design, reports the results of an exploratory study to investigate the impact of two types of intervention strategies (cognitively vs. emotionally focused) on two types of identity processes (self-construction and self-discovery) in a culturally diverse sample of 90 emerging adult university students. A quasiexperimental design was used to evaluate the relative impact of the cognitively focused self-construction and emotionally focused self-discovery strategies. Quantitative and qualitative results indicated that cognitively focused intervention strategies were most efficacious in affecting self-constructive identity processes, whereas emotionally focused intervention strategies were most efficacious in affecting self-discovery identity processes. This pattern of differential effects suggests that programs intended to broadly affect identity development should include both types of intervention strategies and should target both self-constructive and self-discovery processes

An Exploration of Colorectal Cancer Incidence Rates in North Dakota, USA, via Structural Equation Modeling

Purpose The state of North Dakota has one of the highest incidence rates for colorectal cancer in the USA. Its high incidence rate, coupled with a large variation in incidence rates among counties within the state, makes North Dakota a “natural laboratory” in which to investigate environmental clues to colorectal cancer. We conducted a hypothesis-generating study to explore potential determinants of colorectal cancer in North Dakota. Methods We obtained county-specific incidence rates for North Dakota’s 53 counties from the statewide cancer registry and corresponding data on county demographic, agricultural, and geophysical features from population-based sources. Candidate demographic/agricultural variables included median household income, population density, colorectal cancer screening rates, average farm size (in acres), and the percent of county fertilized. Geophysical variables included the uranium content of soil, residential radon levels, and source of drinking water (municipal or well water). Statistical analyses were performed via multivariate regression and structural equation modeling. Results Colorectal cancer incidence rates across North Dakota counties varied 3-fold. The structural equation model identified a significant role for well water use (p \u3c 0.05). This finding is consistent with studies that implicate well water in colorectal cancer. Conclusions Well water contains several agents, e.g., bacteria, disinfection by-products, and nitrates that are potent colorectal carcinogens. Studies of well water use and colorectal cancer risk at the individual level in North Dakota are warranted

Incorporating Tailored Interactive Patient Solutions Using Interactive Voice Response Technology to Improve Statin Adherence: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial in a Managed Care Setting

Abstract The current study presents the impact of a behavior change program to increase statin adherence using interactive voice response (IVR) technology. Subjects were affiliated with a large health benefit company, were prescribed a statin (index) and had no lipid-lowering pharmacy claims in the previous 6 months, and were continuously enrolled in the plan for 12 months prior and 6 months post index statin. Potential subjects (1219) were contacted by the IVR system; 497 gave informed consent. Subjects were asked to respond to 15 questions from the IVR that were guided by several behavior change theories. At the conclusion of the questions, subjects were randomly assigned to either a control group (n=244), who received generic feedback at the conclusion of the call and were then mailed a generic cholesterol guide, or an experimental group (n=253), who received tailored feedback based on their cholesterol-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and perceived barriers to medication adherence, and were mailed a tailored guide that reinforced similar themes. Subjects in the experimental group had the opportunity to participate in 2 additional tailored IVR support calls. The primary dependent variable was 6-month point prevalence, defined as claims evidence of a statin on days 121-180 post index statin. Subjects in the experimental group had a significantly higher 6-month point prevalence than the controls (70.4% vs. 60.7%, P<0.05). Results of this study suggest that a behavioral support program using IVR technology can be a cost-effective modality to address the important public health problem of patient nonadherence with statin medication. (Population Health Management 2009;12:241-254)Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78104/1/pop.2008.0046.pd

Assessment of Cytomegalovirus-Specific Cell-Mediated Immunity for the Prediction of Cytomegalovirus Disease in High-Risk Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients: A Multicenter Cohort Study

In high-risk solid-organ transplant recipients receiving antiviral prophylaxis, the measurement of specific cell-mediated immunity using the Quantiferon assay appropriately stratified the individual risk of developing subsequent cytomegalovirus diseas