Adapting a Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention Intervention Among Female Adolescents in Hawai'i.

Epidemiological data suggest that Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Asian American (NHPIA) adolescent females in Hawai'i are at elevated risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). These data also indicate that teen girls in Hawai'i are more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors than boys. Despite this compelling evidence, there is a paucity of published research on effective STI prevention protocols that target NHPIA female adolescents. In light of this need, the purpose of this study was to adapt an evidence-based, group-level STI behavioral prevention intervention targeting local NHPIA adolescent girls in Hawai'i for implementation by community-based organizations (CBOs). This article describes the adaptation of an evidence-based STI prevention intervention in partnership with a CBO, using a locally modified ADAPT-ITT model as a basis for the adaptation process. This research consisted of two phases: (1) development of an initial test version of an adapted intervention and (2) the development of the final version of the adapted intervention, Girl Power Hawai'i. The results provide the empirical and foundational research necessary for a tailored intervention that can be readily implemented by CBOs for local teen girls in Hawai'i.

Ethnic variations in prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors among Asian and Pacific Islander adolescents in Hawaii.

OBJECTIVES: We examined ethnic variations in high-risk sexual behaviors among Asian and Pacific Islander (API) adolescents in comparison with White adolescents. METHODS: We obtained data from the 2003 Hawaii Youth Risk Behavior Survey on 4953 students in grades 9 through 12. We conducted chi(2) and logistic regression analyses on these data to examine the prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors among Japanese, Filipino, Native Hawaiian, and White adolescents. RESULTS: We found significant ethnic variation in prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors among API adolescents. Relative to White adolescents, Native Hawaiian adolescents were most likely to engage in lifetime sexual intercourse, recent sexual intercourse, and sexual initiation before age 13 years; Japanese adolescents were least likely to engage in these behaviors. Filipino adolescents were least likely to use substances before last sexual intercourse and condoms during last sexual intercourse. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest divergent patterns of risk among API ethnic groups, underscoring the heterogeneity of API subgroups and emphasizing the need for health disparities research on disaggregated API ethnic groups. The findings of such research should be used to design ethnically relevant interventions aimed at mitigating the negative health consequences of high-risk sexual behaviors.

Mentoring Asian American scholars: Stereotypes and cultural values.

Students of color in higher education face myriad challenges that supersede the academic, including feelings of isolation, lack of belongingness, and overt discrimination that confer stress on top of their academic workload. One avenue to tackle these issues and reduce the negative outcomes associated with these stressors is the effective mentoring of scholars of color. Research has typically focused on African American and Latino scholars. Asian American scholars have received less attention despite studies showing high levels of anxiety, depression, isolation, and reported experiences of targeted microaggression and discrimination among this population. This article highlights the cultural issues that need to be raised and considered in the mentorship of Asian American scholars. In particular, mentors need to be aware that stereotypes of Asian Americans are pervasive, insidious, and harmful, even those that may be thought of as positive stereotypes, and to examine their own beliefs about them. Second, mentors should be aware of the cultural values that predominate in Asian American cultures-in particular, hierarchical collectivism and a high-context communication style-that may be at odds with the mentor's cultural values or pose as obstacles that negatively influence the mentoring process. Finally, broad considerations and recommendations for mentoring Asian Americans scholars are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Perceptions of attenuated psychosis in a diverse sample of undergraduates.

AIM: Prior to the release of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, experts in the field of psychosis research considered including a psychosis high-risk syndrome-attenuated psychosis syndrome-as a formal diagnosis. Opponents argued that such a diagnosis may increase the risk of stigmatization of individuals whose symptoms often remit. Although previous research has examined provider perceptions of attenuated psychosis syndrome, little work has focused on lay perceptions. METHODS: A total of 455 college students read three vignettes, each depicting a character with a different level of psychotic disorder (attenuated psychosis syndrome, schizophrenia or no psychosis). Following each vignette, participants responded to questions assessing: (1) identification of the character as mentally ill, (2) stigmatizing attitudes and (3) beliefs regarding the helpfulness of potential treatments. RESULTS: Compared to a character with no psychosis, participants identified the attenuated psychosis syndrome character as more likely to be experiencing mental illness, but endorsed only slightly more stigmatizing attitudes. Participants tended to rate psychological types of treatment as more helpful than other types for an attenuated psychosis syndrome character. CONCLUSIONS: Non-expert undergraduates appear to view attenuated psychosis symptoms as indicative of mental illness, though not as severe as schizophrenia symptoms. The minimal level of stigma endorsement indicates that college students may not be especially likely to spontaneously stigmatize peers with attenuated psychosis syndrome.

Sekentei and family caregiving of elders among the Japanese: development and psychometric evaluation of the sekentei scale.

OBJECTIVES: This study describes the development and psychometric evaluation of a measure for assessing sekentei, a construct rooted in the Japanese culture. Sekentei is a social construct that causes a person to worry about others' evaluations of his or her behavior. The concept of sekentei may be an important factor related to family caregiving of elders in Japan. METHODS: We used a multiphased process to develop, refine, and evaluate the reliability and validity of the Sekentei Scale. Following the development and refinement of the measure, we administered the Sekentei Scale and other measures for assessing validity to 150 Japanese National and 116 Caucasian American family caregivers of elders. We used Cronbach's alpha to estimate internal consistency reliability. We examined validity by (a) correlating scores on the Sekentei and Shame Scales and (b) testing the Sekentei Scale's ability to yield hypothesized differences between the Japanese and the Americans. RESULTS: The results provided adequate support for the reliability and validity of the Sekentei Scale. DISCUSSION: The findings provide useful data regarding the construct and measurement of sekentei and provide preliminary psychometric support for the measure's use in future research.

The influence of Sekentei on family caregiving and underutilization of social services among Japanese caregivers.

The Asian family is regarded as a close-knit social unit in which elderly people are believed to occupy a highly respected position. Family members are thought to provide care for elderly parents gratefully because of filial piety. This stereotypic portrayal of Asian families, however, may not apply fully to Japanese families. This article points out misunderstandings and stereotypic views of family caregiving of Japanese elderly people. The article describes how the cultural virtue of filial piety has been incorrectly identified as the major factor influencing underutilization of social services among Japanese family caregivers. The authors provide new insights into Japanese family caregiving by describing the concept of sekentei and how this concept may influence family caregiving of elderly family members and underutilization of social services among Japanese caregivers.