scholarly journals Mood Sensitivity to Seasonal Changes in African College Students Living in the Greater Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 584-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alvaro Guzman ◽  
Kelly J. Rohan ◽  
Samina M. Yousufi ◽  
Minh-Chau Nguyen ◽  
Michael A. Jackson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
African American ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Temperate Climate ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
African Students ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Ethnicity And Gender

The purpose of this study was to estimate the degree of seasonality and prevalence of winter- and summer-type seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in African immigrant college students in comparison with African American peers. A convenience sample of 246 African immigrants and 599 African Americans studying in Washington, D.C. completed the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ), which was used to calculate a global seasonality score (GSS) and to estimate the prevalence of winter- and summer-type SAD. Degree of seasonality was related to a complex interaction between having general awareness of SAD, ethnicity, and gender. A greater percentage of African students reported experiencing a problem with seasonal changes relative to African American students, and had summer SAD, but the groups did not differ on GSS and winter SAD. African students reported more difficulties with seasonal changes than their African American peers, which could represent a manifestation of incomplete acclimatization to a higher latitude and temperate climate. As Africans also had a greater rate of summer SAD, this argues against acclimatization to heat.

scholarly journals Seasonal Changes in Sleep Duration in African American and African College Students Living In Washington, D.C.

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 880-887 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janna Volkov ◽  
Kelly J. Rohan ◽  
Samina M. Yousufi ◽  
Minh-Chau Nguyen ◽  
Michael A. Jackson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
African American ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
African American Students ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Diagnosis Group ◽  
American Students ◽  
Sleep Length

Duration of nocturnal melatonin secretion, a marker of “biological night” that relates to sleep duration, is longer in winter than in summer in patients with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), but not in healthy controls. In this study of African and African American college students, we hypothesized that students who met criteria for winter SAD or subsyndromal SAD (S-SAD) would report sleeping longer in winter than in summer. In addition, based on our previous observation that Africans report more “problems” with change in seasons than African Americans, we expected that the seasonal changes in sleep duration would be greater in African students than in African American students. Based on Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) responses, African American and African college students in Washington, D.C. (N = 575) were grouped into a winter SAD/S-SAD group or a no winter diagnosis group, and winter and summer sleep length were determined. We conducted a 2 (season) × 2 (sex) × 2 (ethnicity) × 2 (winter diagnosis group) ANCOVA on reported sleep duration, controlling for age. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found that African and African American students with winter SAD/S-SAD report sleeping longer in the summer than in the winter. No differences in seasonality of sleep were found between African and African American students. Students with winter SAD or S-SAD may need to sacrifice sleep duration in the winter, when their academic functioning/efficiency may be impaired by syndromal or subsyndromal depression, in order to meet seasonally increased academic demands.

scholarly journals Does School Racial Composition Explain Why High Income Black Youth Perceive More Discrimination? A Gender Analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shervin Assari
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
African American ◽  
African American Males ◽  
Black Youth ◽  
Perceived Discrimination ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Racial Composition ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Ethnicity And Gender

Recent research has documented poor mental health among high socioeconomic status (SES) Blacks, particularly African American males. The literature has also shown a positive link between SES and perceived discrimination, suggesting that perceived discrimination may explain why high SES Black males report poor mental health. To better understand the role of contextual factors in explaining this pattern, we aimed to test whether school racial composition explains why high income Black youth perceive more discrimination. We explored these associations by ethnicity and gender. Using data from the National Survey of American Life-Adolescent supplement (NSAL-A), the current study included 810 African American and 360 Caribbean Black youth, with a mean age of 15. Ethnicity, age, gender, income-to-needs ratio (SES), skin color, school racial composition, and perceived (daily) discrimination were measured. Using Stata 15.0 (Stata Corp., College Station, TX, USA), we fitted seven structural equation models (SEMs) for data analysis in the pooled sample based on the intersection of ethnicity and gender. Considerable gender by ethnicity variations were found in the associations between SES, school racial composition, and perceived discrimination. For African American males but not African American females or Caribbean Black males or females, school racial composition fully mediated the effect of SES on perceived discrimination. The role of inter-racial contact as a mechanism for high discrimination and poor mental health of Black American adolescents may depend on their intersection of ethnicity and gender. School racial composition may be a mechanism for increased perceived discrimination among high SES African American males.

Predictors of Academic Self-Concept for African American College Students

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 636-653
Author(s):  
Andrew S. Franklin ◽  
Scott M. Debb ◽  
Darlene G. Colson
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
African American ◽  
Racial Identity ◽  
Grade Point Average ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
African American College Students ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Historically Black University

This study explored the roles of demographic variables, grade point average, centrality (an aspect of racial identity), and student-professor interactions in predicting academic self-concept. A convenience sample of 132 African American students (104 females and 28 males) ranging in age from 18 to 38 ( Mage = 26), attending a historically Black university completed an online questionnaire assessing demographic information, grade point average, an aspect of racial identity from the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity, student-professor interactions, and academic self-concept. Results showed that grade point average and student-professor interactions characterized by faculty’s level of care were significant factors in predicting academic self-concept. These relationships may be important for understanding salient factors that influence the academic self-concept in African American college students.

Breastfeeding Exposure, Attitudes, and Intentions of African American and Caucasian College Students

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Urmeka T. Jefferson
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
African American ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Breastfeeding Initiation ◽  
African American Mothers ◽  
Race And Gender ◽  
Demographic Questionnaire ◽  
Caucasian Students ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Breastfeeding Attitudes

Background: African American mothers lag behind in breastfeeding initiation. Research is needed to gain an understanding of potential reasons for breastfeeding disparities. Research aim: This study explored breastfeeding exposure, attitudes, and intentions of African American and Caucasian college students by race and gender. Methods: Women and men (696) attending college, who were younger than 45 years and without children, were included in this study. Survey data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale. Results: Overall, students demonstrated favorable attitudes regarding breastfeeding but viewed formula feeding as more practical. Students who were Caucasian and female and experienced breastfeeding exposure demonstrated higher breastfeeding attitudes and intent. Breastfeeding exposure and attitudes contributed 32% of the variance in breastfeeding intentions. The odds of experiencing breastfeeding exposure and positive breastfeeding attitudes were approximately 3 times higher for Caucasian students than for African American students. Conclusion: External factors demonstrated a stronger association with breastfeeding intentions. The link with race and gender appears to operate through their effect on attitudes and exposure. More research is needed to identify strategies to improve breastfeeding exposure and attitudes among African Americans.

scholarly journals Seasonal Variations in Mood and Behavior in Romanian Postgraduate Students

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 870-879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph J. Soriano ◽  
Constantin Ciupagea ◽  
Kelly J. Rohan ◽  
Dorin B. Neculai ◽  
Samina M. Yousufi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Conditioning ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Heat Exposure ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Air Conditioners ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Multinomial Probability ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Assessment Questionnaire

To our knowledge, this paper is the first to estimate seasonality of mood in a predominantly Caucasian sample, living in areas with hot summers and a relative unavailability of air conditioning. As a summer pattern of seasonal depression was previously associated with a vulnerability to heat exposure, we hypothesized that those with access to air conditioners would have a lower rate of summer seasonal affective disorder (SAD) compared to those without air conditioning. A convenience sample of 476 Romanian postgraduate students completed the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ), which was used to calculate a global seasonality score (GSS) and to estimate the rates of winter- and summer-type SAD. The ratio of summer- vs. winter-type SAD was compared using multinomial probability distribution tests. We also compared the ratio of summer SAD in individuals with vs. without air conditioners. Winter SAD and winter subsyndromal SAD (S-SAD) were significantly more prevalent than summer SAD and summer S-SAD. Those with access to air conditioners had a higher, rather than a lower, rate of summer SAD. Our results are consistent with prior studies that reported a lower prevalence of summer than winter SAD in Caucasian populations. Finding an increased rate of summer SAD in the minority of those with access to air conditioners was surprising and deserves replication.

The Influence of Gender and Ethnicity on Judgments of Culpability in a Domestic Violence Scenario

2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Ferguson ◽  
Charles Negy
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
African American ◽  
African Americans ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Racial Bias ◽  
European American ◽  
Domestic Assault ◽  
European Americans ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Ethnicity And Gender

Using an experimental analog design, in this study we examined 503 European American, African American, and Latino undergraduate students’ responses to a domestic violence scenario in which the ethnicity and gender of the perpetrator were manipulated. Results indicated that participants perceived perpetration of domestic assault significantly more criminal when committed by a man than when committed by a woman. That finding was robust across European Americans, African Americans, and Latinos and was expressed by both genders. Also, European American participants expressed significantly more criticism toward African American perpetrators of assault than they did toward European American and Latino perpetrators of the exact offense, suggestive of racial bias consistent with stereotypes about African Americans being excessively aggressive. Finally, Latino participants expressed significantly more sympathy toward women who assault their husbands than toward assaulting husbands. Implications of the findings are discussed.

scholarly journals Running on Empty: Of Hypopinealism and Human Seasonality

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dieter Kunz ◽  
Amely Wahnschaffe ◽  
Nina Kaempfe ◽  
Richard Mahlberg
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Seasonal Affective Disorder ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Pathological Finding ◽  
The Body ◽  
Day Length ◽  
Individual Capacity ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Sleep Length

The pineal hormone melatonin is the natural transducer of the environmental light–dark signal to the body. Although the responsiveness to photoperiod is well-conserved in humans, only about 25 percent of the human population experiences seasonal changes in behavior. As a consequence, humans seem to have adapted—at least partly—to the seasonal changes in day length. The aim of the study was to demonstrate that the individual melatonin deficit marker DOC (degree of pineal calcification) is related to variation of seasonal phenomena in humans. Out of 3,011 patients in which cranial computer tomography (cCT) was performed for diagnostic reasons, 97 consecutive “healthy” subjects (43 female, 54 male; age 18–68 yrs, mean ± SD: 35.0 ± 13.1) were included. Exclusion criteria were pathological finding in cCT, acute/chronic illness including alcohol/drug abuse, shift work, and medication, which are known to influence melatonin excretion. The degree of pineal calcification (DOC) was semiquantitatively determined using the previously validated method. The Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) was performed in a telephone interview. Twenty-six subjects fulfilled the criteria for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or subsyndromal (S) SAD. Seasonality was more pronounced in women than in men (SPAQ seasonality score: 7.8 ± 4.0 vs. 4.9 ± 4.5; p = 0.001) and negatively and significantly associated with age (r = −0.178; p = 0.04). The subjective sleep length significantly varied between seasons (one-way repeated measures ANOVA: F = 45.75; p < 0.0001), with sleep during winter being 53 min (±70 min) longer than during summer. Controlling for age, the total seasonality score was negatively and significantly associated with DOC (r94 = −0.214; p = 0.036). Data confirm earlier studies with respect to distribution of seasonality with sex and age. The survival of seasonality in the sleep length of people living in an urban environment underlines functionality of the circadian timing system in modern societies. Moreover, data confirm for the first time that diminished experience of seasonality in behavior is associated with a reduced individual capacity to produce melatonin.

Racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of applicants and matriculants to neurological surgery residency programs

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Edwin Nieblas-Bedolla ◽  
Fatima El-ghazali ◽  
Saman Qadri ◽  
John R. Williams ◽  
Nabiha Quadri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
White Women ◽  
African American Men ◽  
White Men ◽  
Residency Programs ◽  
Asian Men ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Neurological Surgery ◽  
Ethnicity And Gender

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to identify trends in the demographic constitution of applicants and matriculants to neurological surgery based on race, ethnicity, and gender. METHODS The authors conducted a cross-sectional study using compiled demographic data obtained from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Trends analyzed included proportional changes in race, ethnicity, and gender of applicants and matriculants to neurosurgical residency programs from academic years 2010–2011 to 2018–2019. RESULTS A total of 5100 applicants and 2104 matriculants to neurosurgical residency programs were analyzed. No significant change in the percentage of overall women applicants (+0.3%, 95% CI −0.7% to 1.3%; p = 0.77) or in the percentage of women matriculants (+0.3%, 95% CI −2.2% to 2.9%; p = 0.71) was observed. For applicants, no change over time was observed in the percentages of American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) men (0.0%, 95% CI −0.3% to 0.3%; p = 0.65); Asian men (−0.1%, 95% CI −1.2% to 1.1%; p = 0.97); Black or African American men (−0.2%, 95% CI −0.7% to 0.4%; p = 0.91); Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish Origin men (+0.4%, 95% CI −0.8% to 1.7%; p = 0.26); White men (+0.5%, 95% CI −2.1% to 3.0%; p = 0.27); Asian women (+0.1,% 95% CI −0.9% to 1.1%; p = 0.73); Black or African American women (0.0%, 95% CI −0.6% to 0.5%; p = 0.30); Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish Origin women (0.0%, 95% CI −0.4% to 0.4%; p = 0.71); and White women (+0.3%, 95% CI −1.1% to 1.7%; p = 0.34). For matriculants, no change over time was observed in the percentages of AI/AN men (0.0%, 95% CI −0.6% to 0.6%; p = 0.56); Asian men (0.0%, 95% CI −2.7% to 2.7%; p = 0.45); Black or African American men (−0.3%, 95% CI −1.4% to 0.8%; p = 0.52); Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish Origin men (+0.6%, 95% CI −0.8 to 2.0%; p = 0.12); White men (−1.0%, 95% CI −5.3% to 3.3%; p = 0.92); Asian women (+0.1%, 95% CI −1.3% to 1.5%; p = 0.85); Black or African American women (0.0%, 95% CI −0.6% to 0.7%; p = 0.38); Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish Origin women (−0.1%, 95% CI −0.7% to 0.5%; p = 0.46); and White women (+0.3%, 95% CI −2.4% to 3.0%; p = 0.70). CONCLUSIONS Despite efforts to diversify the demographic constitution of incoming neurosurgical trainees, few significant advances have been made in recent years. This study suggests that improved strategies for recruitment and cultivating early interest in neurological surgery are required to further increase the diversification of future cohorts of neurosurgical trainees.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document