How Keeping Up With the Joneses (or at least living next door) Can Be Good for Your Health

Research

Issues

Research

Research within the field of Community Psychology seeks to systematically understand and promote health and empowerment. Research in the field also works to prevent problems in communities, groups, and individuals.

Community-Based Research With Urban American Indians

Posted in: Marginalized Groups | Tags: Research
Published in: American Journal of Community Psychology
Hartmann, W. E., Wendt, D. C., Saftner, M. D., Marcus, J. D., & Momper, S. M. “Why is it important to learn about urban American Indian communities as well as reservation communities?“ Despite the 1976 Indian Health Care Improvement Act, physical and mental health disparities exist in many American Indian (AI) populations. Approximately 70% of […]

Schools as Community Hubs in the Outskirts of Lima, Peru

Posted in: Education, Marginalized Groups, Poverty and Socioeconomic Status | Tags: Research
Social network analysis can be used in the operational definition of social regularities, behavior settings, and similar ecological concepts. In the period 2015-2016 we implemented a program for the prevention of child labor in marginal areas in the outskirts of Lima, Peru.

People of Color Experience Discrimination Within LGBT Spaces

Posted in: Marginalized Groups, Mental Health, Sense of Community | Tags: Research
We examine processes of minority stress and community resilience among racially diverse sexual minority men. Our findings suggest that connection to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community plays a more central role in mediating minority stress processes for White sexual minority men than it does for sexual minority men of color.

Photograph of an African American scholar

Campus Racial Climate for African Americans Scale

Posted in: Education, Marginalized Groups | Tags: Research
Many institutions of higher learning regularly conduct “campus climate” surveys to assess student perceptions and concerns. For my dissertation, I created a campus racial climate measure specifically for African American college students. The goal was to develop a culturally-relevant measure for this population, basing the questions on the experiences of African American college students.

Put a Positive Spin on Your Social Media

Posted in: Coalition Building, Sense of Community | Tags: Research
Social media represents a growing portion of social movements, with the possibility to quickly and easily reach large groups of people on a global scale. Understanding how to engage and activate one’s online audience holds substantial implications for those looking to advocate for social justice.

Technology in Our Pockets: Can You Ever Get Too Much?

Posted in: Mental Health | Tags: Research
Have you felt tired at the end of a day and wondered what you actually “did?” Do you find “unplugging” and turning your phone off leaves you feeling anxious even when you are not expecting important calls or texts?

African American and Latino Children and Adolescents Experience Race-Related Trauma in the Public Education System

Posted in: Children, Youth and Families, Education, Marginalized Groups | Tags: Research
Race-related trauma is both generational and present for many African American and Latino children and adolescents in the United States. From law enforcement to the public education system, policies continue to support the devaluing of students through punitive discipline and discretionary practices. Among other negative impacts, these practices limit opportunities to gifted and college preparatory […]

Oxford House Shows Promise in Maintaining Sobriety

Posted in: Housing, Mental Health, Substance Use | Tags: Research
When an individual struggling with a substance abuse disorder has been discharged from inpatient treatment, they usually leave with an aftercare plan. Aftercare can include many options such as attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, coming in once a week to see a therapist, or moving into a recovery home.

Creating a Student Veteran Resource Center

Posted in: Education, Veterans | Tags: Practice, Research
In this participatory action research study, student veterans at a small midwestern community college collaborated to develop engaging programs and resources for veterans transitioning from soldier to student. Most notably, the veteran group worked with college administration as well as veteran organizations and community partners to develop a Veterans Resource Center (VRC) on campus.

Photograph of people in a park in New York City

How Keeping Up With the Joneses (or at least living next door) Can Be Good for Your Health

Posted in: Poverty and Socioeconomic Status | Tags: Research
Published in: American Journal of Community Psychology
Can the income-level of the people we share our neighborhoods with affect our health? Does the income-level of our neighbors shape how we perceive our own social status?