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Studies have reported that autistic individuals are diagnosed with major depressive disorder (depression) at rates significantly higher than their non-autistic peers. While studies have shown that Black autistic individuals may be particularly vulnerable to experiencing depression, few studies have examined rates of lifetime depression diagnosis and symptom burden within this population in comparison to other racial groups, in particular White autistic individuals. This study addresses this gap by comparing demographic differences and mental health diagnosis, symptoms, and service use for Black and White autistic adults with and without a lifetime depression diagnosis, offering insights to guide future research and clinical practice to address the mental health needs of autistic individuals. Data were drawn from the Relationships, Employment, Autonomy, and Life Satisfaction (REALS) study, which includes self-reported history of mental health diagnoses, as well as measures of current anxiety and depression symptoms. Bivariate analyses were conducted to examine demographic, mental health service use, and clinical differences among an age- and income-matched sample of Black and White autistic participants, stratified by whether they had received a depression diagnosis in their lifetime (past and/or current). The study included 179 autistic adults (93 Black, 86 White). Black autistic adults with a lifetime depression diagnosis had higher income, education, and employment rates than those without a lifetime depression diagnosis. White participants showed no such differences. Further, Black participants reported similarly high current depression symptoms and anxiety, regardless of whether they had a depression diagnosis or not. That is, Black autistic adults without a lifetime depression diagnosis report experiencing comparable levels of current depressive symptoms as those with a lifetime depression diagnosis, which for both groups fall near clinical cutoffs. Findings underscore the need for more nuanced mental health services that address the complex needs of autistic adults, particularly Black individuals who remain underrepresented in autism research. The similarly high anxiety and depression symptom levels across Black autistic adults with and without a lifetime depression diagnosis suggest that those with depression and who have access to mental health services may not find that such services fully address ongoing distress. The elevated rates of co-occurring mental health conditions among those with a history of depression point to the importance of integrated, intersectional approaches to care that consider both racial identity and neurodivergence.

Suicide rates among Black young adults have significantly increased over the past two decades, presenting a critical public health issue. Although research indicates the association of positive mental health attitudes with better outcomes, limited attention has been paid to the structural and cultural factors that influence suicidal behaviors and help-seeking attitudes in this demographic. Guided by intersectionality and trauma-informed frameworks, this study examines how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), age, and suicidal behaviors interact to influence mental health help-seeking attitudes among Black young adults. We recognize that these outcomes are shaped by interlocking systems of oppression, including racism, ageism, and historical mistrust of mental health institutions. The sample consisted of 359 Black young adults aged 18 to 24 ( M  = 21; SD  = 1.90), recruited through Qualtrics panels (a pre-recruited group of individuals who have agreed to participate in surveys) in the Midwestern United States from February 1, 2023, to April 1, 2023. Using path analysis, our study results indicated that ACE scores had a significant and positive direct relationship with suicidal ideation (β = 0.29, p  < .001) and suicide planning (β = 0.30, p  < .001). Additionally, there was a significant indirect association with suicide attempts (β = 0.04, p  < .001). Further, suicide attempts negatively impacted attitudes toward seeking mental health help (β = -0.14, p  < .01). Suicidal ideation and planning also had significant negative indirect associations with these attitudes (β = -0.05, p  = .01; β = -0.08, p  = .01). These findings underscore the urgent need for culturally grounded and structurally responsive suicide prevention and intervention strategies that reflect the lived experiences of Black young adults. By addressing the unique interplay of trauma, identity, and systemic inequity, we can enhance mental health support and overall well-being for this population.

Background Developing an understanding of the negative impact of discrimination is critical when examining the suicidality of Black young adults in the US. Suicide rates among Black young adults have increased at alarming rates. One of the reasons for this increase is the disparities related to access to mental health services, which has long-term health consequences. This study addresses a significant gap in the literature by examining associations between experiences of everyday discrimination, attitudes towards mental health help-seeking attitudes, on the outcomes suicide ideation, planning to die by suicide, and suicide attempts. Methods The data came from a national study of the experiences of Black young adults regarding mental, physical, and sexual health. Participants were recruited from across the Midwestern region of the United States through Qualtrics Panels, an online survey delivery service used to recruit study participants. The total sample for this study was N  = 362, and the average age of the sample was 21 (SD: 1.96). We used a logistic regression analysis to examine the role of everyday discrimination, mental health support-seeking attitudes, and covariates on the outcomes: suicide ideation, planning to die by committing suicide, and suicide attempts. Results Black young adults with positive mental health help-seeking attitudes were 34% less likely to attempt suicide ( OR  = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.96) and 35% less likely to experience suicide ideation ( OR  = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.47, 0.89). However, those young adults who experienced discrimination daily were more likely to report having attempted suicide ( OR  = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.34, 2.15). Conclusions Our findings offer valuable insights into the complex interplay between experiences of discrimination, attitudes toward seeking mental health support, and suicidal behaviors. However, our research also underscores how experiences of discrimination can significantly exacerbate feelings of isolation, hopelessness, and inadequacy, further contributing to suicidal behaviors in this population. By promoting positive mental health help-seeking behaviors, actively addressing discrimination, and applying an intersectional approach to suicide prevention efforts, we can take significant strides towards building a more supportive and inclusive society. This approach aims to empower individuals to seek help, reduce the risk of suicidal behaviors, and create a more welcoming environment for all members of our community.

Background Patient-centered healthcare in the context of a medical home (PCMH) is an important pathway to reducing healthcare inequities. To date, no work has examined the prevalence of care experiences associated with PCMH among non-elderly Black males. Methods We analyzed data, on 22 indicators representative of six healthcare domains associated with PCMH experiences, from non-Latino White (NLW) and Black males aged 18–64 from the 2008–2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey ( n  = 47,405). We used generalized linear models to test whether Behavioral Model factors attenuate any differences in access to these domains between NLW and Black males, and decomposition techniques to examine the contribution of these factors to reported differences. Results Black males reported 1) lower access to personal primary care providers, 2) poorer quality communication with providers, and 3) lower levels of care comprehensiveness (all p  < 0.05). Differences between groups were attenuated but not eliminated by accounting for the Behavioral Model factors particularly through enabling and predisposing factors. Group health characteristics were not a primary driver of racial differences in care experiences across all the considered domains. Conclusions Black men, in the U.S, continue to face barriers to accessing high quality, patient-centered care, specifically as it relates to accessing specialty care, medical tests, and patient-provider communication.

Conventional definitions of mental health, manhood, and social support create barriers to accessing behavioral health care for Black men ages 18 to 30. Targeted behavioral health interventions sensitive to culture, social norms, and gender that circumvent these barriers are desperately needed to improve access and integrated care for this group. This article reports mixed methods findings from the 2017 iteration of the Young Black Men, Masculinities, and Mental Health (YBMen) project, a social media–based, psychoeducational program that promotes mental health, progressive definitions of manhood, and sustainable social support for Black men. Young Black men (n = 350) across two universities in the Midwest completed baseline surveys on their mental health, definitions of manhood, and social support. Forty of the men participated in the YBMen intervention and at postintervention reported experiencing fewer depressive symptoms on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9, Z = −2.05, p < .01) and the Gotland Male Depression Scale (GMDS; Z = −1.76, p < .05). There were also changes on the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory (CMNI) for Self-Reliance (Z = −0.34, p = .26) and Heterosexual Self-Presentation (Z = −0.18, p = .59), though these changes were not statistically significant. A qualitative review of postintervention interviews revealed participants’ appreciation of the YBMen project and its influence on their mental health, manhood, and social support. Programmatic efforts that support the behavioral health, positive development, and social relationships of Black men translate into positive families, communities, and experiences as they live, learn, love, and work over the life course.

Black youth who experience community violence occupy multiple environments with varying levels of influence on how they display resiliency to prevent adverse mental health outcomes. Considering the recent rise of mental health concerns (i.e., increase in suicidal outcomes) among Black youth, along with the abundance of research illustrating the detrimental impact of community violence, more research is needed to examine how different environmental factors (e.g., family and school) shape how youth protect their mental health while displaying resiliency navigating community violence. The purpose of this study was to examine how family and school contexts predict Black youths’ ability to display resiliency to navigate community violence and prevent adverse mental health outcomes. This study utilized a path analysis to examine the associations between parent relationships, parent bonding, school climate, resilience to adverse community experiences, community violence, and mental health among 548 Black adolescents in Chicago. Findings highlight that parent relationships, parent bonding, and school climate influence the association between resilience to community violence and mental health outcomes among Black youth. Implications for mental health practice and policy among Black youth are discussed.

Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) autistic transition-aged youth (TAY) report lower rates of competitive employment compared to White autistic TAY and even greater deficits with social skills associated with positive job interviewing. A virtual job interviewing program was adapted to support and improve the job interviewing skills of autistic TAY. The current study evaluates the effectiveness of an efficacious virtual interview training program on the job interview skills, interview anxiety, and likeliness to be hired, for a subsample of 32 BIPOC autistic TAY, ages 17–26 years old from a previous randomized control trial of the program. Bivariate analyses were used to evaluate between-group differences at pre-test related to background characteristics, and whether Virtual Interview Training for Transition-Age Youth (VIT-TAY) was associated with changes between pre-test and post-test measures of job interview skills. Additionally, a Firth logistic regression was conducted to examine the relationship between VIT-TAY and competitive integrative employment at 6 months, covarying for fluid cognition, having ever had a job interview, and baseline employment status. Participants receiving pre-employment services (Pre-ETS) and virtual interview training had better job interview skills (F = 12.7, ρ < .01; η ρ 2  = .32), lower job interview anxiety (F = .3.96, ρ < .05; η ρ 2  = .12), and a higher likeliness of receiving employment (F = 4.34, ρ < .05; η ρ 2  = .13 at the 6-month follow up compared to participants that only had Pre-ETS. Findings from this study suggest that virtual interview training for TAY is effective for BIPOC autistic TAY in improving their interview skills to gain competitive employment and lower their job interview anxiety.

The objective of the current study was to understand older African American men’s perceptions of and experiences with patient–provider communication during primary care medical visits. Fifteen African American men age 50 and older participated in individual semistructured interviews. Open-ended questions focused on their primary care therapeutic alliance, preferences for decision-making, self-efficacy, patient satisfaction, communication, and companion participation during primary care medical visits. Emergent themes included the perception of rushed and inattentive care related to low socioeconomic status, inadequate information exchange about medical testing and follow-up care, welcoming the help of highly engaged companions, and proactively preparing for medical visits. Participants’ assertiveness, confidence, and persistence with health providers regarding agenda setting for their care were most prevalent and contradict extant literature portraying African American men as less engaged or informed patients. Older African American men, particularly those with low socioeconomic status, may benefit from additional support and advocacy to consistently receive patient centered care and communication.

This study represents an effort to contribute to the limited body of research on biopsychosocial contextual factors that influence or contribute to mobility limitations for older African American men. Specifically, we were interested in examining associations between socio-demographic, physical and emotional health experiences with mobility limitations. A secondary analysis of 1666 older African American men was performed to investigate socio-demographic, mental and physical health correlates to a specific measures of mobility limitation. In the final model, difficulty with self-care, severe pain interference, and problems with usual activities were most strongly associated with mobility limitations. Men who were married were significantly less likely to experience mobility limitations. Findings highlighted the relationship between mobility limitations and difficulty performing activities of daily living. Additional research should examine the impact of poor emotional health and the buffering effects of marriage on mobility for older African American men, a population at high risk of experiencing disparate health outcomes.