Latent Class Groups of Concurrent Substance Use Among Adolescents in an Urban Community: Correlates With Mental Health, Access to Drugs and Alcohol, and Risk Perception.

BACKGROUND: Concurrent substance use among adolescents has been associated with an increase in physical and mental health problems. These outcomes tend to be exacerbated among adolescents of color in underserved urban settings. The purpose of this study was to understand alcohol and concurrent drug use patterns among adolescents in an underserved urban community to provide targeted prevention and treatment recommendations. METHOD: This study examined data among adolescents in an underserved urban community (N = 1789; 56.90% female; 70.86% Hispanic/Latino/a; meanage = 15.96 ± 1.56). Using latent class analysis (LCA) and multinomial logistic regression modeling, analyses identified independent correlates of latent class membership. RESULTS: Five latent classes (LC) were identified including LC group 1: Predominant alcohol use and limited to no concurrent-drug use (n = 213; 11.9%); LC group 2: Concurrent drug and alcohol use including methamphetamine, marijuana and synthetic marijuana use, and alcohol use (n = 74; 4.2%); LC group 3: Concurrent drug and alcohol use, with no marijuana use (n = 204; 11.39%); LC group 4: High Concurrent drug use and alcohol use (n = 204; 11.40%); and LC group 5: Concurrent drug use without alcohol use (n = 1101; 61.52%). Significant between group differences were noted between latent class groups and sociodemographic characteristics. Multinomial logistic regression models identified the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and corollary clinical features of substance use on latent class groupings of alcohol and concurrent drug use. CONCLUSION: Understanding concurrent substance use LC groups among adolescents is essential to providing targeted interventions and treatment programs, as well as early intervention programs that may help reduce substance use during adolescence.

Psychological sense of community, community civic participation, and ethnic identity on social justice orientation and psychological empowerment between LGBQ and Non-LGBQ youth of color.

For lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) youth of color, the intersection of identifying as both LGBQ and a person of color results in not only managing racial stereotypes, but also heterosexism and genderism. Developing a critical understanding of oppressive social conditions and ways to engage in social action is a form of resistance for these youth. Research is needed among LGBQ youth of color that examines the range of predictors and outcomes related to civic engagement, development, and empowerment. Drawing on data derived from a sample of urban youth of color (N = 383; 53.1% Female; 75% Hispanic; Age range = 14 to 18 years; 15% identify as LGBQ), this study will: (1) examine the relationship between community-based perceptions (e.g., psychological sense of community), ethnic identity, behaviors (e.g., community civic participation) and awareness of social justice concerns with dimensions of psychological empowerment; and (2) assess differences that these relationships have between LGBQ and non-LGBQ youth of color. Findings indicate that main predictors have a positive impact on intrapersonal and cognitive dimensions of psychological empowerment through social justice orientation, with noted variations between LGBQ and non-LGBQ youth of color.

Sociopolitical control as a mediator between ethnic identity and social support on 30-day drug use among black girls.

While Black girls have lower rates of drug use, they face worse health and wellbeing consequences associated with drug use. Understanding which strengths-based factors serve as buffers to limit adverse outcomes related to drug use among Black girls is essential for prevention. This study investigated the mediating role of sociopolitical control on drug use among Black girls (n = 340). Using path analysis, models were tested to include the variables of interest. Sociopolitical control (e.g. leadership competency and policy control) significantly mediated the relationship between ethnic identity and social support on drug use. Implications from this study may consider bolstering empowerment-based strategies in drug use prevention for Black girls.

What happens when we ask? A phenomenological focus group on HIV prevention and sexual health education among emancipated foster care youth.

Youth of color who have recently been emancipated from foster care are among the most vulnerable group at risk for having poor sexual health outcomes. It is essential for researchers to understand how emancipated foster care youth receive messages about safe sex and HIV/STI prevention in order to tailor health promotion activities for this group. This study presents a strengths-based view of emancipated foster care youth of color who developed an empowering, arts-based campaign to prevent HIV in their community using Youth Participatory Action Research (Y-PAR) methods. The project was led by 10 emancipated foster care youth who participated in two focus groups that centered on understanding their knowledge of HIV. Five major themes emerged from the focus group. Implications for researchers include incorporating safe spaces for youth to develop ideas that can result in empowering activities relating to prevention.

Measuring Intrapersonal Psychological Empowerment and Ethnic Identity: Highlighting Strengths of Urban Black Girls.

Limited research has examined intrapersonal psychological empowerment (PE) among Black girls solely. This study aims to fill a gap in empowerment literature by examining the factor structure of the Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) among Black girls (N = 377) between the ages of 14-17 years old. We also examine the association with ethnic identity as a conceptually related variable. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the factorial validity of the abbreviated, eight-item SPCS-Y among Black girls. Results support the two-dimensional factor structure of the abbreviated SPCS-Y among Black girls, as well as the association intrapersonal PE has with ethnic identity. Findings provide preliminary support for the empirical and theoretical relationship between intrapersonal PE and ethnic identity among Black girls.

Ethnic Identity, Empowerment, Social Support and Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Black Adolescent Girls: Examining Drug Use as a Mediator.

Substance abuse and sexual health research tends to overlook the resiliency skills that Black adolescent girls possess. Using a strengths-based lens, this study examines the role of protective factors: (e.g. ethnic identity, social support, and psychological empowerment) on sexual risk behaviors testing drug use as a mediator among a sample of Black adolescent girls. The study uses a sample (N = 340) female adolescents (13-17 years old) who identified as being Black only and reside in a northeastern urban community in New Jersey. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized model of the mediating role of drug use on sexual risk behaviors among this sample. Findings revealed that drug use significantly mediated the relationship between social support, ethnic identity, and psychological empowerment on sexual risk behaviors, with high ethnic identity scores having the strongest relationship on low sexual risk behaviors and low levels of drug use. Given the rise of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States among Black adolescent girls, findings from this study can contribute to development of culturally appropriate and innovative strategies to reduce risky behaviors by promoting social and cultural strengths among Black girls living in urban communities.

Intrapersonal psychological empowerment profiles on ethnic identity, social support, and lifetime drug use among Hispanic adolescent girls.

The abbreviated Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) factor structure, used to measure intrapersonal psychological empowerment, was tested among a sample of Hispanic adolescent girls (N = 490). Confirmatory factor analysis and latent class analyses were conducted, and five distinct cluster groups emerged. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to examine conceptually related variables and support the two-factor structure and validity of the scale. Participants with higher levels of intrapersonal psychological empowerment also had high social support, ethnic identity, and lower levels of alcohol and drug use. Findings support the use of the scale on Hispanic adolescent girls and contribute to alcohol and drug use prevention research.

Ethnic Identity as a Moderator Between HIV Knowledge, Viral Hepatitis Knowledge, and Psychological Antecedents Among Racial-Ethnic Minority Youth Living in an Urban Community.

Racial-ethnic minority youth between the ages of 13 and 24 in the USA are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Low HIV knowledge and psychological antecedents such as low perception of risk and low sexual negotiation skills have all been associated with HIV risk behaviors; however, the role of ethnic identity on these factors is unclear in the literature. Ethnic identity, which is a critical part of identity development among racial-ethnic minority youth, has been found to be a protective factor in risk-taking behaviors. However, limited research is available on the role of ethnic identity in HIV prevention research among youth. For this study, data were collected as part of a larger HIV prevention education program using a sample of 564 students of color (Meanage = 16.30, standard deviation [SD] = 1.26; 67.4% Hispanic, 29.5% Black) from an underserved northeastern US urban community. We examined whether ethnic identity moderated the relationship between psychological antecedents (e.g., perception of risk and sexual negotiation skills), gender, and viral hepatitis knowledge on HIV knowledge. Findings revealed that ethnic identity significantly moderated the relationship between psychological antecedent variables and HIV knowledge by strengthening these associations as ethnic identity increased. Female adolescents were also more likely to have higher levels of HIV knowledge than males. Findings provide support for cultural and gender-specific prevention programs for racial-ethnic minority youth that seek to reduce HIV risk behaviors by increasing ethnic identity, particularly in under-resourced communities.

The brief sense of community scale: Testing dimensionality and measurement invariance by gender among Hispanic/Latinx youth.

Psychological sense of community is defined as feelings of belongingness and a shared belief that community members will meet one another's needs. Psychological sense of community has four dimensions: membership, influence, needs fulfillment, and emotional connection. In this study, multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the first and second-order factor structure of the brief sense of community scale (BSCS) between male and female Hispanic/Latinx adolescents from an urban community (N = 947). To help validate the BSCS model, the second-order factor model was tested with regression to predict the measures of intrapersonal psychological empowerment and ethnic identity, as constructs conceptually related to psychological sense of community. Findings support that: (1) psychological sense of community can be measured through the BSCS and as a four-factor model among Hispanic/Latinx youth, supporting McMillan and Chavis's (1986) original theoretical discussions; (2) while no differences between genders were present at the model-level, there was path-specific variation; and (3) intrapersonal psychological empowerment and ethnic identity were associated with psychological sense of community.

The Mediating Role of Ethnic Identity and Social Justice Orientation Between Community Civic Participation, Psychological Sense of Community, and Dimensions of Psychological Empowerment Among Adolescents of Color.

There is an emerging interest in studying social action and civic engagement as a part of the developmental process. Studies among youth of color indicate that empowerment has been associated with well-being, a critical perspective, and in combating social oppression. These studies also show that civic involvement and awareness of social justice issues are associated with positive developmental outcomes including empowerment. The range of predictors and outcomes related to empowerment have been insufficiently explored. This study used structural equation modeling path analysis techniques to examine the association community civic participation and psychological sense of community have with intrapersonal and cognitive psychological empowerment, through both ethnic identity and social justice orientation among urban youth of color (N =383; 53.1% Female; 75% Hispanic; 50.6% were 13 and 15 years of age). Findings illustrate that greater community civic participation and psychological sense of community are associated with both intrapersonal and cognitive psychological empowerment, through both ethnic identity and a social justice orientation; however, with some noted variations. Ethnic identity and social justice orientation mediated community civic participation and psychological sense of community and both intrapersonal and cognitive psychological empowerment. Implications put forward for community youth-workers and community programming.

A Spatial Analysis of Alcohol Outlet Density Type, Abandoned Properties, and Police Calls on Aggravated Assault Rates in a Northeastern U.S. City.

Background: Community-based research and prevention scholarship has shown a growing interest in examining the impact of the ecological structure of neighborhoods on community violence. Ecological structures such as higher numbers of alcohol outlets and abandoned/vacant properties in geographically dense, poor, and socially isolated communities are critically important to consider. Further, disadvantaged urban communities are burdened by greater police presence with limited or no abatement in crime or violence. Purpose: Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping, spatial analysis techniques, and a negative binomial regression analyses, this study investigated the relationships between alcohol outlet density consisting of license C (i.e., combined on and off premises establishments) and license D (i.e., off premises establishments such as liquor stores), abandoned properties, and police calls to service on aggravated assault rates in a Northeastern United States urban city. Results: Negative binomial regression analysis results showed that license C alcohol outlet density count (IRR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.08, 2.11), license D alcohol outlet density count (IRR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.30), abandoned property count (IRR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.01, 2.01), and police call to service counts (IRR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.50) were positively associated with aggravated assault rates. Analyses controlled for census data characteristics. Conclusions: The link between alcohol outlet density and violent crime has been established in public health research. However, this study represents an important contribution in recognizing the unique relationships between license C and license D alcohol outlet density, abandoned properties, and police calls to service with aggravated assaults in an urban neighborhood. Conclusions are drawn for policy and practice.

Testing the Factor Structure of the Brief Sense of Community Scale among Black Girls and the Relationship with Ethnic Identity, Empowerment and Social Support.

Research on Psychological Sense of Community (SOC) among Black girls are limited due to lack of validated measures for this group. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the first and second-order factor structure of the Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS) used to measure Psychological SOC was examined using a sample of Black girls from an urban community (N = 340). Using a regression-based approach, the second-order five-factor model of the BSCS was also examined with intrapersonal psychological empowerment (PE), social support, and ethnic identity as conceptually related variables. Findings support that: (1) psychological SOC can be conceptualized and measured through four dimensions among Black girls; and (2) intrapersonal PE, social support, and ethnic identity were significantly associated with SOC.

Increasing HIV/AIDS knowledge among urban ethnic minority youth: Findings from a community-based prevention intervention program.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)/AIDs (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) prevention and research are imperative. Prevention-intervention programming is minimal in low-income communities of color. Additional research is needed that uncovers points of support and prevention to increase HIV knowledge and awareness and limit new HIV infections among adolescents of color. This study presents preliminary findings from a community-based HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, and viral hepatitis (VH) prevention education intervention for ethnic minority youth in a northeastern urban community. We evaluated HIV/AIDS knowledge and factors associated with knowledge. Participants (N = 599) completed a baseline survey followed by an exit survey measuring HIV/AIDS knowledge. Exit survey findings indicated that there was an increase in HIV/AIDs knowledge. Multivariate regression analyses showed that change scores in VH knowledge accuracy, sexual negotiation skills, risk perception, and ethnic identity were positively associated with change in HIV/AIDs knowledge score. The development and implementation of HIV/AIDS knowledge interventions can be crucial in alleviating new infections in the U.S.

Validation of the Abbreviated Socio-Political Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) Among Urban Girls of Color.

This study tested and validated the factor structure of the abbreviated Sociopolitical Control Scale for Youth (SPCS-Y) among a sample of urban girls of color. Participants include (N = 830) urban girls of color from a northeastern United States community. Confirmatory Factor analyses (CFA) were conducted using AMOS Structural Equation Modeling Software. Cluster groups were created using Latent Class Cluster Analysis (LCA) and tested using Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with conceptually related variables. CFA results supported the two-factor structure of the abbreviated SPCS-Y among the sample. Following the creation of cluster groups, MANCOVA analyses revealed significant heterogeneity among cluster groups of participants on neighborhood sense of community, social support, ethnic identity, and lower levels of drug use. Findings support the factor structure of the SPCS-Y and its use to measure empowerment among girls of color. Results contribute significantly to the field of social work and encourages the importance of promoting strengths-based approaches among girls of color. Implications for social work practice with girls of color are conveyed in light of the need for reliable measurement tools for practitioners.

Understanding the Influence of Sexual Risk Taking, Ethnic Identity, and Family and Peer Support on School Importance Among Hispanic Adolescents.

Despite the broader academic gains experienced by Hispanic students, who represent the largest minority group in the United States, they remain the least educated of all major ethnic groups, and our understanding of their academic needs and strengths remains woefully inadequate. Therefore, this study examined the risk (e.g., sexual risk taking) and protective factors (e.g., family support, supportive peer networks, and ethnic identity) associated with school importance among Hispanic teens (N = 587) residing in a high-risk, resource poor urban community and the ways in which these relationships vary between adolescent males (46.5%) and adolescent females (53.5%). Schools that are able to harness the numerous assets embedded within the Hispanic community are well positioned to create learning environments that are encouraging, are culturally responsive, and can potentially reduce risk involvement that may interfere with valuing the role of school importance. Implications for school-based personnel are discussed.

The Cognitive Empowerment Scale: Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis Among Youth of Color.

Empowerment is a higher order multilevel framework used to evaluate individuals, groups, organizations, and communities as they engage in the practice and execution of the participatory process. The cognitive component of psychological empowerment (PE) has been examined through the Cognitive Empowerment Scale (CES); however, this scale has yet to be specifically tested to assess differences between African American/Black and Hispanic/Latinx urban youth. This study tested the factor structure of the CES using Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) through AMOS Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Software among a sample of African American/Black and Hispanic/Latinx urban youth (N=383). Analyses also assessed the association intrapersonal PE and psychological sense of community (SOC) had with CE. Results support the multidimensionality of the CES as a measure of cognitive PE, with no significant differences noted between groups. Findings also contribute to the field of social work and encourage the promotion of youth-work that enables these young people to foster a critical read of their social world in order to build a path toward engaging in social change.

"Bullets Have no Names": A Qualitative Exploration of Community Trauma Among Black and Latinx Youth.

Repeated exposure to violent crime and drug use among youth of color can have negative health and behavioral outcomes. Using a community trauma theoretical framework, this qualitative study examines the lived experiences of Black and Latinx youth living in an under-resourced community with high levels of violent crime. Data were collected through eleven focus groups comprising of (N = 59) youth. Common themes arose including daily occurrences of witnessing gun violence, feelings of hopelessness, and lack of opportunities among youth. Implications highlight the importance of youth serving community-based organizations to nurture resilience and community healing within trauma-exposed neighborhoods.

The Role of Empowerment-Based Protective Factors on Substance Use Among Youth of Color.

Youth of color continue to be disproportionately affected by the consequences of engaging in high rates of daily substance use. Racial-ethnic minority adolescents are often viewed through a deficit lens. There is limited research that examines the strengths of these young people and their communities as a prevention strategy to lower rates of drug use. Using an empowerment-based framework, this study examines the role of intrapersonal and cognitive psychological empowerment, community civic engagement, and ethnic identity on 30-day drug use among a sample of youth of color (N=383; 53.1% Female; 75% Hispanic), between 14 and 18 years of age, from a northeastern urban community. Structural equation modeling was used to test indirect and direct associations between constructs. Results revealed that both intrapersonal and cognitive psychological empowerment were associated with lower rates of 30-day substance use mediated by ethnic identity and community civic engagement. Findings from this study contribute to the social work field by highlighting the importance of strengths-based approaches to improving health outcomes and decreasing risky behaviors such as drug use among youth of color.

Increasing Viral Hepatitis Knowledge Among Urban Ethnic Minority Youth: Findings from a Community Based Prevention Intervention.

Viral hepatitis (VH) knowledge among youth is understudied in the United States. There has been a rise in VH cases in the U.S. in the wake of the opioid epidemic. Innovative approaches to preventing the infection are needed especially in urban communities. This study presents preliminary findings from a community-based HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, and VH prevention education intervention for ethnic minority youth in a northeastern urban community. We aimed to evaluate VH knowledge and factors associated with knowledge. Participants in the study completed a baseline survey followed by an exit survey measuring VH knowledge after the intervention. The survey was completed by 691 individuals. Logistic regression analyses were conducted and indicated that there was a significant increase (82.3%) in VH knowledge among youth who participated in the intervention. The development and implementation of VH knowledge interventions can be crucial in alleviating the rise of VH infections in the U.S.

Exposure to gangs in low-income urban communities and substance use among Hispanic youth.

A third of Hispanic youth live below the poverty line, making them vulnerable for exposure to gangs, substances, and violence, all of which have been associated with substance use. The aim of the present study was to test the link between these variables, using a multiple mediation model. Results suggest that the relationship between gang exposure and adolescent substance use was mediated by both access to substances and exposure to violence. Findings provide insight into how gang exposure impacts outcomes for low-income youth. Implications for prevention and policy are discussed.