Racial Identity Profiles Among Suicidal Black Women: A Replication and Extension Study

Despite increasing rates of suicidality among African American women, relatively little is known about culturally-specific factors relevant to their suicidality. Thus, our objectives were to: (1) determine whether previously-identified racial identity profiles replicated in a clinical sample of African American women and (2) examine whether profiles differed on suicidal ideation, hopelessness, and depressive symptoms. In a sample of 198 low-income, African American women ( Mage = 36), latent profile analysis supported a 5-class solution: Undifferentiated (average on all subscales), Detached (lower than the average on most subscales), Afrocentric (low public regard, high nationalism), Multiculturalist (high public regard, private regard, centrality), and Alienated (markedly lower than average on all subscales). Subgroups with higher racial group identification and more positive feelings about being African American endorsed less suicidal ideation and hopelessness than other subgroups. This study characterizes patterns of racial identity among a clinical sample and offers insights into how subgroups of individuals with different combinations of racial identity may be more likely to experience suicidality.

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Africultural Coping Systems Inventory: Psychometrics in a Clinical Sample of African American Women

Journal of Black Psychology ◽

10.1177/0095798420957503 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 46 (6-7) ◽

pp. 457-481

Author(s):

Natalie N. Watson-Singleton ◽

Devon LoParo ◽

Yara Mekawi ◽

Joya N. Hampton-Anderson ◽

Nadine J. Kaslow

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

African Americans ◽

African American Women ◽

Low Income ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Reliability And Validity ◽

General Factor ◽

American Women ◽

Structure Reliability ◽

Clinical Counseling

The Africultural Coping Systems Inventory (ACSI) assesses African Americans’ culturally relevant stress coping strategies. Although its factor structure, reliability, and validity of the scores have been examined across ethnic groups of African descent, psychometric properties have not been investigated in an African American clinical sample. Thus, it is unclear if the ACSI is useful for research with African Americans with distress. To assess the ACSI’s psychometrics, we used data from 193 low-income African American women who in the past year encountered interpersonal trauma and attempted suicide. We tested four models: one-factor, four-factor, four-factor hierarchical, and bifactor. None of the models were optimal, suggesting possible revisions to ACSI items. Yet the bifactor model provided a better fit than other models with items loading onto a general factor and onto specific factors. Internal consistency of the scores was above the recommended criterion (i.e., .70), and the ACSI general factor was related to depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation (but not alcohol abuse), providing some support for its concurrent validity. Future directions, limitations, and clinical-counseling implications are discussed.

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