Multicultural training on American Indian issues: Testing the effectiveness of an intervention to change attitudes toward Native-themed mascots

This study investigated attitudes toward Native-themed mascots in the context of color blind racial attitudes (CoBRAs). Results indicate that higher CoBRAs are related to lower awareness of the offensiveness of Native-themed mascots. The researchers tested the effectiveness of a training intervention designed to produce attitudinal change among master’s level counseling students. Results demonstrate that the training intervention produced significantly greater attitudinal change than did a general training session on culturally sensitive counseling practices with American Indian clients, particularly among students with high CoBRAs. Results also indicate that this training intervention on Native-themed mascots contributed to lower color blind racial attitudes, thus increasing the student’s awareness of societal racism. Psychological training programs may benefit from augmenting their multicultural counseling curriculum by specifically addressing the offensive nature of Native-themed mascots. An awareness of the marginalization of American Indians, particularly as it involves racialized mascots, can reduce color blind racial attitudes and may provide psychologists with a more comprehensive understanding of aspects of the reality of American Indian clients that contribute to their worldview

Asian Americans’ Family Cohesion and Suicide Ideation: Moderating and Mediating Effects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between family cohesion and suicide ideation in a national, adult community sample of Asian Americans (N = 2072). The data for this study was drawn from the National Latino Asian American Study, the first national epidemiological study of Asian Americans’ mental health. The results indicate that family cohesion was negatively related to suicide ideation. In addition, English proficiency moderated the relationship between family cohesion and suicide ideation. Family cohesion was more strongly related to suicide ideation among low English proficiency Asian Americans than among high English proficiency Asian Americans. Further, the findings are consistent with a model in which the relationship between family cohesion and suicide ideation was partially mediated by psychological distress. Practical implications of the results are discussed in terms of how mental health professionals can help strengthen family cohesion and prevent suicide ideation among Asian Americans

Risk and Protective Factors Associated With Asian American Students’ Suicidal Ideation: A Multi-Campus, National Study

The purpose of this study was to examine risk and protective factors associated with suicidal ideation among 1,377 Asian American college students’ across 66 campuses. The results indicated that medication for mental health concerns, gender, GPA, undergraduate status, religious affiliation, living with a family member, living with a partner, and active participation in student organizations were associated with morbid thoughts. Furthermore, medication for mental health concerns, undergraduate status, living with family, and active participation in student organizations were related to serious consideration of suicide. Among Asian Americans who seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months, recent family, academic, and financial problems were the top three most frequently endorsed events occurring before the development of suicidal ideation

Asian Americans’ Family Cohesion and Suicide Ideation: Moderating and Mediating Effects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between family cohesion and suicide ideation in a national, adult community sample of Asian Americans (N = 2072). The data for this study was drawn from the National Latino Asian American Study, the first national epidemiological study of Asian Americans’ mental health. The results indicate that family cohesion was negatively related to suicide ideation. In addition, English proficiency moderated the relationship between family cohesion and suicide ideation. Family cohesion was more strongly related to suicide ideation among low English proficiency Asian Americans than among high English proficiency Asian Americans. Further, the findings are consistent with a model in which the relationship between family cohesion and suicide ideation was partially mediated by psychological distress. Practical implications of the results are discussed in terms of how mental health professionals can help strengthen family cohesion and prevent suicide ideation among Asian Americans

Novice Counselors’ Conceptualizations and Experiences of Therapeutic Relationships

This qualitative study investigated three novice counselors’ experiences and characterizations of therapeutic relationships. Thematic analyses of interviews and diaries revealed six common themes: (a) the centrality of supervision and training experiences to navigating interpersonal experiences with clients; (b) anxiety about counselors’ roles in therapeutic relationships; (c) the perception of the therapeutic relationship as less directive than outside (lay) helping relationships; (d) experimentation with different interpersonal styles; (e)awareness of countertransference; and, (f) impact of therapeutic relationships on outside relationships. Findings expand upon the therapeutic relationship as a focal point for the training and supervision of novice counselors

Content Analysis of the Psychology of Men and Masculinity (2000 to 2008)

In 2010, the Psychology of Men and Masculinity (PMM) celebrates the 10th anniversary of its inception as the official journal of the Society for the Psychological Study of Men andMasculinity. This article commemorates this significant milestone by examining the journal’s current trends and future directions through a content analysis of 154 articles published in PMM from 2000 to 2008. The authors found that PMM scholarship was dominated by theories associated with the gender role strain paradigm, addressed clinically-related topics, relied largely on White male college samples, and had a growing impact on clinically-focused scholarly journals and books. Recommendations for addressing theoretical orientations, topics, and populations underrepresented in PMM scholarship are provided

A Contextual Examination of Gender Role Conflict Among College Football Players

This mixed methods study examined the contextual nature of gender role conflict (GRC). Using a quasi-experimental design, 153 male college football players were randomly assigned to two groups wherein they were instructed to report levels of GRC based on the assigned life domain (within the football environment vs. life outside of football). Results indicated that participants did not differ significantly in levels of GRC across life domains, but did reveal that life domain (within the football environment) moderated the significant relationship between Restrictive Affectionate Behavior Between Men (RABBM) and life satisfaction. Qualitative findings provided support for quantitative results, and described ways that football players express emotions and affection toward other men within this unique context. Results can help psychologists design interventions that normalize and encourage affective and emotional expression within the domain of football, with the intent of teaching players to transfer these behaviors to life domains outside of football

Perspectives of Social Justice Activists: Advocating Against Native-themed Mascots, Nicknames, and Logos

This study investigated perspectives of social justice activists who directly advocate for the elimination of Native-themed mascots, nicknames, and logos. Using Consensual Qualitative Research methodology, the research team analyzed transcripts of interviews conducted with eleven social justice activists to generate themes, categories, and domains within the data. Five domains emerged: (a) deleterious impact of Native-themed mascots, nicknames, and logos; (b) components of identity preservation among supporters; (c) reasons why some American Indians might support Native-themed mascots, nicknames, logos; (d) frontline advocacy efforts; and (e) coping strategies for advocates. Results provided insights into the sociopsychological processes which operate—among both non-Indians and Indians—to allow the misappropriation of American Indian culture, symbols, and imagery in sport to continue to exist in society. Findings can help counseling psychologists better understand the lived experience of social justice activists, while also highlighting ways that our field can support efforts to eliminate race-based mascots, nicknames, and logos

Parent-offspring conflict and the genetic trade-offs shaping parental investment

The genetic conflict between parents and their offspring is a cornerstone of kin selection theory and the gene-centred view of evolution, but whether it actually occurs in natural systems remains an open question. Conflict operates only if parenting is driven by genetic trade-offs between offspring performance and the parent's ability to raise additional offspring, and its expression critically depends on the shape of these trade-offs. Here we investigate the occurrence and nature of genetic conflict in an insect with maternal care, the earwig Forficula auricularia. Specifically, we test for a direct response to experimental selection on female future reproduction and correlated responses in current offspring survival, developmental rate and growth. The results demonstrate genetic trade-offs that differ in shape before and after hatching. Our study not only provides direct evidence for parent-offspring conflict but also highlights that conflict is not inevitable and critically depends on the genetic trade-offs shaping parental investment.Peer reviewe