Feminist Identity Attitudes, Negative Affect, and Eating Pathology in African American College Women

The mechanisms linking childhood maltreatment and eating pathology are not fully understood. We examined the mediating role of limbic system dysfunction in the relationships between three forms of childhood maltreatment (parental psychological maltreatment, parental physical maltreatment, and parental emotional neglect) and eating disorder symptoms. A convenience sample of college women ( N = 246, M age = 19.62, SD = 2.41) completed measures of maltreatment (Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scales and the Parental Bonding Instrument), limbic system dysfunction (Limbic System Questionnaire), and eating pathology (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire). We hypothesized that there would be an indirect effect of each type of childhood maltreatment on eating disorder symptoms via limbic system irritability. Results generally supported the hypotheses. Examination of the individual paths that defined the indirect effect indicated that higher reported childhood maltreatment was associated with greater limbic irritability symptoms, and higher limbic irritability symptomatology was related to higher total eating disorder scores. There were no significant direct effects for any of the proposed models. Findings are in line with research supporting the role of limbic system dysfunction as a possible pathway in the maltreatment-eating disorder link. Given that limbic system dysfunction may underlie behavioral symptoms of eating disorders, efforts targeting limbic system dysfunction associated with child maltreatment might best be undertaken at an early developmental stage, although interventions for college women struggling with eating disorders are also crucial.

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Race and Stereotypes Matter When You Ask About Conduct Problems: Implications for Violence Risk Assessment in Juvenile Justice Settings

Journal of Black Psychology ◽

10.1177/0095798418821278 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 26-51

Author(s):

James R. Andretta ◽

Frank C. Worrell ◽

Katara M. Watkins ◽

Ryan M. Sutton ◽

Adrian D. Thompson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Juvenile Justice ◽

Conduct Problems ◽

Juvenile Justice System ◽

African American Adolescents ◽

Substantial Effect ◽

Control Group ◽

Violence Risk ◽

Identity Attitudes ◽

The Impact

We examined the impact of stigma priming on self-reported severe conduct problems in two studies conducted with African American adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system. Data-collection interviews were conducted in a secure detention setting following arrest. In Study 1 ( N = 193), stigma was primed by manipulating the ordering of surveys. Adolescents who completed a questionnaire about racial identity attitudes prior to questions about severe conduct reported substantively more problematic behaviors than control group peers (β = 0.43). In Study 2 ( N = 264), stigma was primed by manipulating whether adolescents were interviewed by an African American or European American mental health professional. Racial group membership of the interviewer did not have a substantial effect on self-reported conduct problems (β = −0.04). Although the studies were not without limitations, they highlight the need for more research on the degree to which interview methods and context influence self-reported severe conduct behavior in forensic settings.

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Predictors of Feminist Identity Utilizing an Intersectional Lens With a Focus on Non-Hispanic White, Hispanic, and African American MSW Students

Affilia ◽

10.1177/0886109920963013 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 088610992096301

Author(s):

Mollie Lazar Charter

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Social Work ◽

Social Work Students ◽

Multiple Regression Model ◽

Feminist Identity ◽

Msw Students ◽

Feminist Identification ◽

Feminist Attitudes ◽

Racial Ethnic ◽

Hispanic White

A fundamental value of social work is social justice, which includes gender and racial/ethnic equality. Feminists address gender-based oppression and often work to address racial/ethnic inequalities as well as many other forms of oppression. However, most literature suggest that less than half of social work students identify as feminists. This study investigated factors that contribute to student feminist self-identification, focusing on how racial/ethnic identity may influence feminist identity. Four predicting constructs were identified: method of exposure to feminism, feminist knowledge, feminist attitudes and ideologies, and description of feminists. A multiple regression model was applied to the overall sample ( N = 660) and to each racial/ethnic group. Findings indicate that in the overall sample, all four constructs significantly contributed to predicting feminist identification, while in the non-Hispanic white sample ( n = 366), method of exposure, feminist attitudes and ideologies, and description of feminists made significant contributions; for the Hispanic sample ( n = 157), only feminist attitudes and ideologies made significant contributions to predicting feminist identification; and for the African American sample ( n = 137), method of exposure and description of feminists made significant contributions. These findings indicate differences among racial/ ethnic background in feminist identity and provide a comprehensive picture of feminist identity among Master’s of Social Work (MSW) students.

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The emergent construction of feminist identity in interaction

Pragmatics ◽

10.1075/prag.19004.mar ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Olivia Hirschey Marrese

Keyword(s):

College Women ◽

Conversation Analysis ◽

Feminist Identity ◽

Feminist Identification

Abstract This case study is an analysis of college-aged womens’ conversations about feminist identity and tracks a shifting attitude among college women with respect to feminist identification. Using conversation analysis, I argue that the interlocutors’ feminist identity is an interactional achievement produced by collaboratively setting aside topics related to feminism. This practice (re)problematizes feminism and maintains hegemonic standards of ‘feminist’ as an identity that needs to be accounted for in conversation. Building on Eckert and McConnell-Ginet’s (2013) work on the phrase “I’m not a feminist, but…” I argue that feminist identification may be shifting, as the discourse in the present study fall more in line with “I am a feminist, but…,” producing a ‘sort of’ feminist identity. In the discursive process of relevantly setting aside qualities and practices associated with feminism, the interlocutors (re)establish normativity surrounding feminist identity and its enaction in everyday conversation.

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