Does Participation in Christian Faith Affect the Healing Process of Female African American Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is often associated with devastating effects that are long-lasting and pervasive in nature. Though the sequelae vary from survivor to survivor, difficulties typically manifest psychologically, interpersonally, behaviorally, and in physical health problems. While there are many articles in the CSA literature on coping strategies and various treatment modalities, literature on the efficacy of treatment for this population is limited. Further absent from the CSA literature is an understanding of the impact that participation in religious activities has on the healing process within this population. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the impact that participation in Christian faith has on the healing process among female, African American, CSA survivors. The results suggested that participants found involvement in Christian faith activities to be a beneficial factor in their healing process, and that healing from CSA is a transitional process that is facilitated through a relationship with God and an understanding of His characteristics and promises. The implications of this study can be useful in clinical psychological practice with other CSA survivors of the Christian faith

CASE STUDY OF BOG HOLE, JAMAICA: BUILDING CAPITALS IN DISASTER THROUGH LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

This paper details the qualitative analysis of data collected about a 2017 flood in the community of Bog Hole, Clarendon in Jamaica during February-May, 2018. The data aimed to answer the how did the local knowledge on disaster risk reduction strategies enhance the capital base of this area, as well as how did it contribute to poverty eradication within the context of disaster management. The data was analysed through the lens of a framework that amalgamated the principles of the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework and the Disaster Management Cycle. Both frameworks enabled the author to present a context that addresses the external and uncontrollable factors or attributes that influence and affect people’s assets and livelihoods and how they utilized their local experiences and history to overcome these situations to build the assets (capital) that are crucial for the pursuit of positive livelihood, while utilizing the main tenets of the disaster management cycle, namely: Preparedness, Mitigation, Response and Recovery. The study found the main natural capital of the area is also a source of hazard to the area. However, it is their local knowledge that has afforded them the technical knowhow of how to seize the opportunities from the pond as a capital in periods of disaster and normalcy. The residents of the community have accepted the inevitability of the floods, because of their geographic location, the knowledge systems that they have developed over the years to cope with floods and the way in which they control the market post disaster. Thus, the study shows that in the face of the recurrent disaster, residents have found a way to stimulate rural trade and finance, develop a tourism product and by so doing, have increased their income generation. The study highlights that a disaster has different meanings for different farmers in the same space. This working paper is therefore making a recommendation for further studies on the transient nature of vulnerability to natural disasters in rural spaces in Jamaica.  Article visualizations

Kajian Selektivitas Erosi Pada Lahan Budidaya Padi Gogo Di Desa Lau Damak Kecamatan Bahorok Kabupaten Langkat

Gogo rice as one of many commodities developed on sloping topography, thus potentially increasing run off a water and soil erosion that will transport nutrients to the other place. The aim of the research was to know the Erosion Selectivity on Land Cultivation of Gogo Rice in Countryside of Lau Damak Distric of Bahorok Sub-Province Langkat. The research was conducted from September until November 2014 through 2 stages of activity, it was fieldwork and laboratory activities. The Stages of fieldwork has done in village at Lau Damak District of Bahorok Langkat on 15% slope. The results of field activities was analysis in agriculture faculty laboratory,University of North Sumatra, Medan. The reseach use a t-test to differentiate the nutrients at upper, center, and bottom of the slope. The selectivity of erosion can be seen from the changes in the levels of clay and organic Carbon in the upper, middle and lower slopes. Selectivity erosion can also be seen from the changes, total-N, available P, pH, K, CEC, and soil texture on the part of the slope.The results showed that the Organic Carbon and Total-Nitrogen were significantly differenton the slopes position

Negative urgency and emotion regulation predict positive smoking expectancies in non-smoking youth

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the study was to better understand early risk for positive smoking expectancies, which have been shown to be consistent predictors of smoking initiation among youth. Two affect-based risk factors-negative urgency and emotion dysregulation-associated with smoking behaviors among youth, were examined for unique and interactive effects on positive smoking expectancies among substance-naïve youth. METHODS: Participants were 61 10-14-year-old children with virtually no drug use (less than 5 substance use incidents across the lifetime), who were drawn from the community. RESULTS: Both negative urgency and emotion dysregulation were significantly associated with positive social facilitation smoking expectancies. Further, negative urgency was significantly related to positive social facilitation smoking expectancies at higher levels of emotion dysregulation (b=.09, p=.001). CONCLUSION: The findings provide evidence that both emotion dysregulation and negative urgency are positively associated with positive social-related smoking expectancies among a sample of 10-14-year-olds. Children who are emotionally dysregulated and who act rashly in response to negative emotions appear more likely to endorse beliefs regarding the socially enhancing effects of smoking, suggesting that these youth may be at high risk for smoking initiation

Examining the Influence of Ethnic/Racial Socialization on Aggressive Behaviors Among Juvenile Offenders

Risk assessment instruments are commonly used within the juvenile justice system to estimate a juvenile's likelihood of reoffending or engaging in aggressive or violent behavior. Although such instruments assess a broad range of factors, the influence of culture is often excluded. The current study examines the unique effect of ethnic/racial socialization on recent aggressive behaviors above and beyond three well-established risk and protective factors: delinquency history, moral disengagement, and social support. Participants were 95 juveniles who were either on probation or in detention centers in three Midwestern counties and who completed structured surveys related to personal experiences within and outside of the juvenile justice system. The findings provided partial support for our hypotheses: Consistent with previous findings, delinquency history and moral disengagement were significant predictors of recent aggressive behavior. Furthermore, when ethnic/racial socialization was added to the model, promotion of mistrust provided additional predictive validity for aggressive behavior above and beyond the other factors assessed. Based on these findings, the inclusion of education on culture may prove to be an important supplement to established intervention tools for juvenile offenders

Beyond community engagement : perspectives on the meaningful involvement of people with HIV and affected communities (MIPA) in HIV cure research in The Netherlands

First, we express our heartfelt gratitude to all the participants who generously shared their experiences and insights, making this research possible. Your contributions are invaluable and we sincerely thank you for your time and openness. Special appreciation goes to the Dutch HIV Association of People with HIV and the HIV consultants for their collaboration and support in participant recruitment. We further thank Lissa Agema and Vaneza Paulo for their dedication to the detailed transcriptions. The PAB and CAB deserve profound acknowledgment for their efforts and significant contributions in the development and conducting of this research. Last, we acknowledge the use of the large-language model ChatGPT and Grammarly for improving clarity and conciseness.Peer reviewe

The Importance of Social Engagement in the Development of an HIV Cure : A Systematic Review of Stakeholder Perspectives

Funding Information: This research has been funded by Aidsfonds under Grant P-53001. Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Implementing risk stratification to the treatment of adolescent substance use among youth involved in the juvenile justice system: protocol of a hybrid type I trial

BACKGROUND: Youth involved in the juvenile justice system (YIJJ) have high rates of substance use problems; however, rates of YIJJ engagement in substance use services is low. Barriers to service engagement include lack of appropriate screening and connection to services by the juvenile justice system, as well as lack of resources for delivering evidence-based treatment in community-based settings. To address these barriers, this paper describes a protocol for a type 1 hybrid design to (1) implement universal substance use screening for YIJJ; (2) implement and evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a brief, three-session substance use interventions based in motivational interviewing for youth with mild/moderate substance use: Teen Intervene (an individual-based intervention); (3) implement ENCOMPASS, an evidence-based substance use intervention based in motivational enhancement and cognitive behavioral therapy for youth with severe substance use; and (4) evaluate facilitators and barriers to implementing these interventions for mild to severe substance use among YIJJ in community mental health centers (CMHC). METHODS/DESIGN: Using a hybrid type 1 clinical effectiveness-implementation design, we will collaborate with CMHCs and juvenile justice in two rural Indiana counties. Guided by the EPIS (exploration, preparation, implementation, sustainability) framework, we will measure factors that affect implementation of substance use screening in juvenile justice and implementation of substance use interventions in CMHCs utilizing self-reports and qualitative interviews with juvenile justice and CMHC staff pre- and post-implementation. YIJJ with mild/moderate substance use will receive a brief interventions and YIJJ with severe substance use will receive ENCOMPASS. We will measure the effectiveness of a brief and comprehensive intervention by assessing changes in substance use across treatment. We anticipate recruiting 160 YIJJ and their caregivers into the study. We will assess intervention outcomes utilizing baseline, 3-, and 6-month assessments. DISCUSSION: Findings have the potential to improve screening and intervention services for YIJJ

The relationship between racial discrimination and substance use: Does locus of control help explain risk?

Introduction Exposure to racial discrimination has been consistently linked with risk for substance use. However, outside of externalizing and affect-based factors, few other mechanisms have been examined. One potential candidate is locus of control, a learning processes that involves the degree to which one attributes rewards as resulting from their own control (internal locus of control) versus outside control (external locus of control). There is evidence that exposure to stressors is associated with locus of control, with a separate body of literature linking locus of control with substance use. Thus, it is plausible that locus of control may be a mechanism underlying the relationship between racial discrimination and substance use. Methods The current study investigated this pathway among 503 racial/ethnic minority adults aged 18&ndash;35 who completed an online questionnaire including measures on racial discrimination related stress, locus of control, and substance use. Results Results indicated a significant indirect effect between racial discrimination related stress, two external domains of locus of control (i.e., powerful others and chance), and substance use. A significant indirect effect was not found for internal locus of control. Conclusion These findings expand our understanding on potential mechanisms that underlie the racial discrimination-substance use risk pathway among racial/ethnic minority adults, which may in turn provide important targets for substance use intervention programming. &nbsp;</p

Influence of caregiver network support and caregiver psychopathology on child mental health need and service use in the LONGSCAN study

Using structural equation modeling, this study examined the relationship of caregiver network support on caregiver and child mental health need, as well as child mental health service use among 1075 8-year-old children participating in the LONGSCAN study. The final model showed acceptable fit (χ2 = 301.476, df = 136, p<0.001; RMSEA = 0.052; CFI = 0.95). Caregiver and child mental health needs were positively related. As predicted, caregiver network support exerted a protective effect, with greater levels of caregiver network support predictive of lower caregiver and child need. Contrary to prediction, however, caregiver network support was not directly related to child service use. Higher child need was directly related to child service use, especially among children whose caregivers had mental health problems. The findings appear to indicate that lower levels of caregiver network support may exert its impact on child service use indirectly by increasing caregiver and child need, rather than by directly increasing the likelihood of receiving services, especially for African American children