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The Protective Role Of Psychological Empowerment On Tobacco Use Behaviors, Brittany Berry

Theses and Dissertations

THE PROTECTIVE ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT ON TOBACCO USE BEHAVIORS By: Brittany M. Berry, B.A. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2011 Major Director: Aashir Nasim Associate Professor Department of Psychology The primary aim of this study was to determine the protective effects of psychological empowerment (i.e., the belief that one has the knowledge, capabilities, and authority to be an active agent in their own life and in the surrounding community) on the tobacco use behaviors of young adults. A secondary aim was …

What It Means To Be A Man: Masculinity, Sexual Risk-Taking, And Hiv Testing Behavior Among Heterosexual African American Males, Jessica Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

HIV/AIDS is a growing concern in the African American community. From 2005 to 2008, there was a 12% increase in HIV/AIDS diagnoses among African Americans (CDC, 2010a). African American males have higher rates of HIV/AIDS diagnoses than any other ethnic or racial groups. In 2006, 65% of the HIV/AIDS cases among African Americans were from adult males (CDC, 2010a). These higher rates are in part attributed to higher levels of sexual risk-taking including unprotected sex, sex with multiple partners, and sex with high-risk partners. African American adult men get tested at almost the same rate (52%) as African American women …

Does Participation In Christian Faith Affect The Healing Process Of Female African American Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors, Tamika A. Thomas

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

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 …

Predictors Of Academic Achievement And Failure Among Low-Income Urban African American Adolescents: An Ecological Perspective, Israel Moses Gross

Master's Theses

Predictors of academic achievement among urban low-income African American adolescents have primarily been investigated by examining "main effects," or limited interactions with conventional statistical techniques. This paper adds to the literature by examining the factors that influence academic outcomes among this population within an ecological systems framework. This allowed for a comprehensive understanding of how numerous protective and risk factors, across ecological settings, interact to influence academic outcomes.

Optimal Data Analysis (ODA) was employed to create prediction models for mathematic and reading achievement. ODA allowed for the examination of a vast number of variables in one statistical model without increasing …

The Effect Of Acculturation And Ethnic Identity On Perceived Racism In African American And Black West Indian Populations, Jerome Farrell

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Black Americans comprise 14% of the total population in the U.S. (U.S. Census, 2010), and describes a diverse group of people with many different unique challenges and struggles based upon their specific cultural or ethnic group. Black Americans not only include African Americans but people of African descent from the Caribbean or the African Continent. The difference in country of origin and the subsequent culture of these different groups have led to a rich cultural diversity among Black Americans. This study examined the different cultural experiences of Black Americans.