Journal article
"Could Be Even Worse in College": Social Factors, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Men on a College Campus
Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, v 10(3), pp 1165-1177
01 Jun 2023
PMID: 35428951
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Understanding mental health risks among Black men is a step forward in reducing health and educational disparities that are persistent in today's society. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 20 Black male undergraduate students from a college campus in the Southeast. The aim was to identify and understand the social and contextual factors impacting their risk of experiencing anxiety and depressive symptoms. A thematic analysis, theoretically grounded in the social-ecological model (SEM), was conducted, revealing three overarching themes: 1) what is known or felt about mental health 2) causes of stressors and 3) signs as symptoms. Discussions with men offered insight into their perspectives and personal experiences related to mental health issues and perceived risk factors. Themes suggest that the college transition, academic workload, perceived financial distress, and their desire and need to conform to ideals of masculinity were significant risk factors and stressors. Men offered descriptions of specific symptoms and health behaviors associated with such stress, including social isolation, anger, irritability, and changes in their own personal behaviors. Key findings paint a picture of college mental health experiences for some Black male college students. Moving forward, more research is needed to expand on this study's findings and improve mental health risk among this underserved population. Future directions are discussed alongside the results presented in this paper.
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Details
- Title
- "Could Be Even Worse in College": Social Factors, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Men on a College Campus
- Creators
- Kofoworola D A Williams - Northwestern UniversitySharyn E Dougherty - Virginia Commonwealth UniversityShawn O Utsey - Virginia Commonwealth UniversityJessica G LaRose - Virginia Commonwealth UniversityKellie E Carlyle - Virginia Commonwealth University
- Publication Details
- Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, v 10(3), pp 1165-1177
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Grant note
- T32 MH115882 / NIMH NIH HHS
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Community Health and Prevention
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000782726500001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85128240931
- Other Identifier
- 991021895812904721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health