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Chen E, Brody GH, Yu T, Hoffer LC, Russak-Pribble A, Miller GE. Disproportionate School Punishment and Significant Life Outcomes: A Prospective Analysis of Black Youths. Psychol Sci 2021; 32:1375-1390. [PMID: 34387518 DOI: 10.1177/0956797621998308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This study tested relationships between racial inequalities in the school system-specifically, the disproportionate punishment of Black students-and life outcomes for Black youths, along with moderating psychological factors. In an 18-year longitudinal study of 261 Black youths (ages 11-29), we investigated whether adult life outcomes varied as a function of adolescent self-control and academic achievement. We tested whether relationships were moderated by the racial climates of the high schools that youths attended, using administrative data on relative punishment rates of Black and White students. Among Black youths who attended schools that disproportionately punished Black students, high self-control in early adolescence presaged higher academic orientation in late adolescence, which in turn predicted higher educational attainment, higher income, and better mental health in adulthood. However, among these same youths, higher academic orientation forecasted higher adult insulin resistance, a key process in cardiometabolic disease. These findings suggest that achieving successes in life in the face of racial inequalities may come at a physical health cost for Black youths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edith Chen
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University
| | - Gene H Brody
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia
| | - Tianyi Yu
- Center for Family Research, University of Georgia
| | - Lauren C Hoffer
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University
| | - Aubrey Russak-Pribble
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University
| | - Gregory E Miller
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University
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Chen E, Debrosse R, Ham PJ, Hoffer LC, Leigh AKK, Destin M. Effects of social support in an academic context on low-grade inflammation in high school students. J Behav Med 2021; 44:803-810. [PMID: 34363145 DOI: 10.1007/s10865-021-00241-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Bolstering academic motivation is a high priority in school settings, but some evidence suggests this could take a toll on students' physical health. To address this, this study compared the effects of an experimental manipulation of academic motivation alone (AM) to academic motivation enhanced with social support (SS + AM) on markers of inflammation in a sample of 80 high school 9th graders. Outcomes included low-grade inflammation: C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6); a motivation measure; and grade point average (GPA), taken at baseline and follow-up (beginning and end of school year, respectively). Students in the SS + AM condition had lower levels of inflammation at follow-up (covarying baseline levels) compared to those in the AM condition. The two groups were equivalent on motivation and GPA at follow-up. This preliminary study suggests that incorporating social support into academic motivation programs has the potential to benefit inflammatory markers in young people while allowing them to maintain positive academic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edith Chen
- Northwestern University, 2029 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA. .,Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA. .,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
| | - Régine Debrosse
- School of Social Work, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Paula J Ham
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lauren C Hoffer
- Northwestern University, 2029 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.,Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Adam K K Leigh
- Northwestern University, 2029 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.,Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Mesmin Destin
- Northwestern University, 2029 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.,Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.,School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University Evanston, Evanston, IL, USA.,Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
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Chiang JJ, Chen E, Leigh AKK, Hoffer LC, Lam PH, Miller GE. Familism and inflammatory processes in African American, Latino, and White youth. Health Psychol 2019; 38:306-317. [PMID: 30896217 DOI: 10.1037/hea0000715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE African Americans and Latinos make up the two largest minority groups in the United States, and compared with Whites, these ethnic minority groups face disproportionate risk for certain physical health problems. However, factors that may protect these groups against early risk for poor health are not entirely understood. Familism, which emphasizes family interdependence and commitment, and is more prevalent among Latino and African American families, may be one such factor. The current study examined whether values and behaviors related to familism were differentially associated with inflammatory processes among White, African American, and Latino youth. METHOD Participants were 257 youth who completed measures of familism values and behaviors and whose parents reported on their ethnicity. Participants also provided blood samples for the assessment of proinflammatory cytokine responses to bacterial challenge and of sensitivity to anti-inflammatory features of cortisol and interleukin (IL)-10. RESULTS Significant familism values and behaviors by ethnicity interactions were observed. For Latino and African American youth but not for White youth, more familism values were associated with greater sensitivity to IL-10. Additionally, for African American youth, more familism behaviors were associated with decreased cytokine responses to bacterial challenge and greater sensitivity to cortisol and IL-10. By contrast, familism behaviors were associated with lower sensitivity to cortisol in White youth and were not associated with any inflammatory outcomes in Latino youth. CONCLUSION This pattern of findings suggests that for African American youth and to some extent for Latino youth, familism values and behaviors may be protective against the elevated risk for poor health they face. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edith Chen
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University
| | | | | | - Phoebe H Lam
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Frequent demands from others in relationships are associated with worse physiological and health outcomes. The present research investigated 2 potential moderators of the relationship between frequency of demands from one's family and inflammatory profiles among adolescents: (a) closeness of adolescents' relationships with their families, and (b) the frequency with which adolescents provided help to their families. METHOD Two hundred thirty-four adolescents, ages 13-16 (Mage = 14.53; 47.83% male), completed a daily dairy in which they reported on the frequency of demands made by family members. They were also interviewed about the closeness of their family relationships and reported in the daily diary on how frequently they provided help to their families. Adolescents also underwent a blood draw to assess low-grade inflammation and proinflammatory cytokine production in response to bacterial stimulation. RESULTS More frequent demands from family predicted higher levels of low-grade inflammation and cytokine production in response to bacterial stimulation in adolescents. Family closeness moderated the relationship between frequent demands and stimulated cytokine production such that more frequent demands predicted higher cytokine production among adolescents who were closer to their families. Furthermore, frequency of providing help moderated the relationship between frequent demands and both low-grade inflammation and stimulated cytokine production, such that more frequent demands predicted worse inflammatory profiles among adolescents who provided more help to their families. CONCLUSIONS These findings build on previous work on family demands and health to show under what circumstances family demands might have a physiological cost. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia S. Levine
- Institute for Policy Research and Department of Psychology, Northwestern University
| | - Lauren C. Hoffer
- Institute for Policy Research and Department of Psychology, Northwestern University
| | - Edith Chen
- Institute for Policy Research and Department of Psychology, Northwestern University
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Schreier HMC, Hoffer LC, Chen E. Social role conflict predicts stimulated cytokine production among men, not women. Brain Behav Immun 2016; 58:272-279. [PMID: 27475224 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.07.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Revised: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess whether perceived role conflict is associated with stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokine production and glucocorticoid sensitivity, and whether these associations are moderated by sex. METHODS 153 healthy adults (aged 45.8±5.5years, 78% female) listed their 3 main social roles and indicated the amount of role conflict they perceived between each pair of social roles. Subsequently, participants underwent blood draws and leukocyte response to microbial challenge and glucocorticoid sensitivity were assessed by incubating whole blood with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the presence or absence of hydrocortisone. Stimulated levels of Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) were measured. RESULTS Multiple regression analyses controlling for sociodemographics revealed significant sex×role conflict interactions for LPS-stimulated production of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα (all interaction ps<0.05), and a marginal interaction on LPS-stimulated IL-8 production (interaction p<0.10). Greater perceived role conflict was associated with greater pro-inflammatory cytokine production in response to microbial stimulation only among men, not women. There also were significant sex×role conflict interactions with respect to glucocorticoid sensitivity for IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα production (all interaction ps<0.05) and a marginal interaction for IL-8 (interaction p<0.10). Greater perceived role conflict was unrelated to glucocorticoid sensitivity among women, but associated with less sensitivity to glucocorticoid signaling among men. CONCLUSIONS Perceived social role conflict, indicating greater perceived demand across multiple social roles, may take a greater toll on the regulation of inflammatory processes among men compared to women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M C Schreier
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, United States.
| | - Lauren C Hoffer
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, United States
| | - Edith Chen
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, United States
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