The present study examined the dimensional structure of religiosity/spirituality (R/S) and its relationship with positive psychological adjustment (defined here as a latent variable indicated by lower levels of depression and perceived stress and higher levels of positive affect) within a Christian context. Two separate samples (total N = 806) were recruited online via Amazon MechTurk and consisted of Christian American adults (age > 18). R/S was measured using the MCRSI, a 29-item inventory designed to measure multiple conceptual dimensions of R/S (e.g., intrinsic religiosity, forgiveness, health related beliefs, etc.) in a Christian population. An exploratory factor analysis revealed that Christian R/S, as measured using the MCRSI, is a construct with 2 empirically distinct, yet correlated, dimensions which were conceptually defined as spiritual attitudes/beliefs and religious behaviors. SEM analyses revealed that Christian R/S was significantly associated with positive psychological adjustment after controlling for age and SES, explaining 7% of the variance in psychological adjustment. This relationship was fully mediated by positive relationships with others and purpose in life. Religious social support and religious coping did not significantly mediate the relationship. The relationship was not moderated by gender, ethnicity (Caucasian vs. African-American), peer group salience of Christian R/S, or chronic stress. The entire model (including proposed mediators) explained 59% of the variance in psychological adjustment. Of the two dimensions of R/S, spiritual attitudes/beliefs emerged as a stronger predictor of psychological adjustment than religious behaviors, but religious behaviors had a modest positive association with psychological adjustment through religious social support and a modest association with positive affect through religious coping, even after controlling for spiritual attitudes/beliefs. Implications of these results are discussed.

Black men who have sex with men (MSM) are the most at-risk group for HIV infection. Efforts are needed to understand correlates of HIV risk among this group. Alcohol consumption is highly prevalent among MSM, is associated with condomless sex, and may contribute to HIV risk among Black MSM. This study aimed to: 1) examine the association between alcohol consumption (i.e. drinking before/during sex and levels of alcohol use problems) and condom use during lifetime, past 6 months, and the event level; and 2) test moderators (i.e. sex-related alcohol expectancies, impulsivity, sensation seeking, and partner type) of the relationship between problem drinking and condom use across all three levels of analysis.

Black MSM (N = 116) reported sexual behavior and condom use for lifetime, past 6 months, and the most recent condom and condomless sex events. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test determined problem drinking (i.e. AUDIT scores ≥ 8). Ordinal and binary regression analyses analyzed associations between AUDIT scores, condomless receptive and insertive sex, and hypothesized moderators. AUDIT scores were associated with a greater likelihood of condomless sex (lifetime receptive sex: OR = 1.06, p < .05; past 6 months insertive sex: OR = 1.09, p < .01). At the event level, there was no greater likelihood of drinking during last condomless sex as compared to last condom sex, χ2(1) = .18, p = .39. The association between problem drinking and lifetime condomless receptive sex was strongest among men with: 1) predominately casual/anonymous sexual partners (OR = 8.54, 95% CI, .74 – 98.12); 2) high levels of impulsivity, OR = 2.52, 95% CI, 1.06 – 6.02. Significant moderation was found for lifetime receptive sex only.

Global patterns of problem drinking were associated with a greater likelihood of risky sexual behavior. Drinking before/during sex was not related to condom use. The association between problem drinking and receptive condomless sex was strongest among men with predominately casual/anonymous sexual partners and high levels of impulsivity. These findings highlight several pathways to sexual risk behavior among Black MSM, as well as important differential risk factors given sexual position.

The goal of this study is to understand how social identities are integrated across domains of identity. Focusing on a population in which cultural norms dictate sexuality behaviors as a condition of ethnic membership, the study examines how South Asian LGBQ Americans integrate their ethnic and sexual orientation identities, and also examines the role of this dual social identity integration in the relationship between the distal stress of parental responses to LGBQ identity, the proximal stress of internalized homophobia, and mental health outcomes. One-hundred and twenty-five (125) self-identified South Asian LGBQ Americans were recruited from across the U.S. for participation in an online survey. Participants completed a battery of self-report measures, including: (1) ethnic identity and LGBQ identity versions of the Collective Self-Esteem Scale (CSE, Luhtanen & Crocker, 1992), which assessed membership, private regard, public regard, and the importance of each identity domain; (2) an adapted version of the Bicultural Identity Integration Scale version 2 (BII-2, Huynh, 2009; Benet- Martínez & Haritatos, 2005) that assessed the dual identity integration of sexual orientation and ethnic identities; (3) an assessment of internalized homophobia (Herek, Cogan, Gillis, & Glunt, 1997), (4) parental support and rejection of LGBQ identity; and (5) life satisfaction (World Health Organization), as well as depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS-21, Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995; Antony, Bieling, Cox, Enns, & Swinson, 1998). Results indicated that the BII-2 can be adapted to assess dual identity integration, and suggested that parental expressions of support and rejection predict dual identity Harmony while sexual orientation and ethnic identity predicted dual identity Blendedness. Internalized homophobia partially mediated the relationship between Parental Distress and Harmony, and was identified as a negative predictor of Blendedness. Parental rejection predicted psychological distress, while parental support predicted life satisfaction. Strong sexual orientation identity was associated with lower symptoms of distress, while strong ethnic identity was associated with greater life satisfaction. Higher internalized homophobia partially mediated the relationship between parental rejection and psychological distress, but was not associated with life satisfaction. Neither dual identity Harmony nor dual identity Blendedness predicted either of these mental health outcomes, suggesting that the context-based approach to bicultural integration may also extend to dual identity integration across categories of social identity. Implications of these findings for future research and for intervention are discussed.

The U.S. Latinos carries a disproportionate burden of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and Subclinical Atherosclerosis (ATS), therefore identifying the contribution of psychological factors to both risk for MetS and subclinical ATS is relevant. Two studies were conducted with the U.S. resident Latinos enrolled in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Study 1 investigated the longitudinal associations of negative affect (i.e. depressive symptoms, anger, and anxiety trait), and psychosocial stress (i.e. chronic stress, and both daily and lifetime experiences of discrimination) with severity of MetS (indexed by the number of MetS criteria), and mediators and moderators of these associations. Study 2 investigated the longitudinal associations between psychological factors, and ATS indexed by coronary calcium calcification, intima-media thickness, artery plaque, common carotid artery-internal carotid artery, and related mechanisms.

Study 1 was conducted with Mexican Americans (n=801), Dominican American (n=175), Puerto Rican American (n=202), and other Central/South Americans (n=213), whereas Study 2 only studied Mexican American participants (n= 801).

Study 1 revealed that Mexican-Americans evidenced greater severity of MetS, the highest levels of fasting glucose and triglycerides, the largest waist size circumference, and the lowest HDL cholesterol levels over time than the other U.S. Latinos. Psychological stress and negative affect were associated with MetS severity in males only, and men evidenced an indirect effect of physical activity on MetS severity via inflammation.

Study 2 demonstrated that neither negative affect nor psychological stresses were related to ATS. Several mediators were significant, with physical activity mediating the effect of chronic stress and negative affect on MetS severity. Furthermore, physical activity and inflammation as a sequence mediated the association of psychological factors and MetS severity.

These studies suggest a different epidemiological health profile for U.S. Latinos, with Mexican-Americans in the region studied having a greater MetS severity across 10 years of follow-up. Furthermore, gender moderated the potential contribution of psychological factors to MetS severity, and physical activity and inflammation mediated the associations of psychological factors with MetS in Mexican-Americans participants. This research adds to our understanding of within group differences in health among Latinos, as well as the contribution of psychological factors to MetS and ATS and related cardio-metabolic mechanisms.

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