Emotion Expression in Therapeutic Support Group Sessions for African American Men

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sasha Lebedeva ◽  
Dana Collins ◽  
Anderson J. Franklin
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Support Group ◽  
African American Men ◽  
Emotion Expression ◽  
Group Sessions

Abstract P083: Qualitative Evidence Supporting a New Model of Health Behavior Change for African American Men in a Faith-Based Community

Circulation ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 135 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sohye Lee ◽  
Ruth Lindquist
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Behavior Change ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Support Group ◽  
Stages Of Change ◽  
African American Men ◽  
Peer Group ◽  
Peer Support Group ◽  
Group Sessions ◽  
Over Time

Purpose: Programs of behavior change with education targeting application to lifestyle habits may result in changes in risk-related behavior and improved cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes. The purpose of this abstract is to describe the changes, as evidenced in the qualitative analyses of transcripts of 14 sessions of a 6-month peer support group intervention to foster risk-related behavioral change, and in final program interviews. Method: African American men (N=8), aged 45-83 years, from one Baptist church in NE U.S. participated in a peer-led behavior change program targeting Life’s Simple 7 (get active, control cholesterol, eat better, manage blood pressure, lose weight, reduce blood sugar, stop smoking), over a 6-month period. Research staff monitored the hour-long peer intervention sessions by phone and recorded and transcribed the sessions. Qualitative analysis comprised thematic analyses of the textual content of the peer group sessions and transcripts of follow-up interviews to identify evidence in the text supporting the existence of shifting stages of change within the group over time. Self-reported stages of readiness to change related to the 7 CVD behavioral risk areas were also quantified using 7 contemplation ladders with rungs ranging from zero (“no thoughts of changing”) to 10 (“taking action to change”). Results: Over the course of the 6-month intervention, changes in group participants’ stages of change were evident. Six key themes emerged from the group sessions, including: (1) individuals’ resistance to change behaviors (weeks 1-2); (2) engagement through peer discussion of challenges and barriers (weeks 2-5); (3) awareness of physical benefits of change (weeks 2-24); (4) peer group cooperation for problem solving (weeks 3-24); (5) initiating health promotion inclusive of family and community (weeks 11-24); and (6) teaching others (weeks 18-24). The median difference in change in the contemplation ladders was <0; likely due to a ceiling effect due to the recruitment of motivated men who were ready to change. In the 6-month interviews, although men have changed behaviors positively over time, participants still reported challenges to changing and maintaining behaviors in different areas. This reveals that behaviors are continuing to evolve, and that in this shifting, behavior change is still an ongoing process as the men become more aware of their behaviors and increasingly view them in context of family and community. Conclusions: In this 6-month, intensive peer-led intervention, the micro-culture of the peer support group transformed from self-focused resistance to cohesion, then to other-oriented action. The data moved beyond Prochaska’s Stages of Change Model to break out and define a new paradigm of change that affected family and community and which will likely lead to longer term, continued changes and ongoing reinforcement.

scholarly journals Men on the Move–Nashville: Feasibility and Acceptability of a Technology-Enhanced Physical Activity Pilot Intervention for Overweight and Obese Middle and Older Age African American Men

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 798-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donnatesa A. L. Dean ◽  
Derek M. Griffith ◽  
Sydika A. McKissic ◽  
Emily K. Cornish ◽  
Vicki Johnson-Lawrence
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
African American ◽  
Small Group ◽  
Physical Activity Intervention ◽  
African American Men ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Fat Percentage ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Group Sessions

Men on the Move–Nashville was a quasi-experimental, 10-week pilot physical activity intervention. A total of 40 overweight or obese African American men ages 30 to 70 (mean age = 47) enrolled in the intervention. Participants attended 8 weekly, 90-minute small group sessions with a certified personal trainer. Each session consisted of discussions aimed to educate and motivate men to be more physically active, and an exercise component aimed to increase endurance, strength, and flexibility. Throughout each week, men used wearable activity trackers to promote self-monitoring and received informational and motivational SMS text messages. Of the 40 enrolled men, 85% completed the intervention, and 80% attended four or more small group sessions. Additionally, 70% of participants successfully used the activity tracker, but only 30% of men utilized their gym memberships. Participants benefited from both the small group discussions and activities through increasing social connection and guidance from their trainer and group members. These African American men reported being motivated to engage in physical activity through each of these technologies. Men reported that the activity trackers provided an important extension to their social network of physically active people. The intervention resulted in significant increases in men’s self-reported levels of light, moderate, vigorous, and sports-related physical activities, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and significant decreases in weight and body fat percentage with small, moderate and large effects shown. Including technology and didactic components in small group-based interventions holds promise in motivating African American men to increase their physical activity.

Life Themes in a Therapeutic Support Group for African American Men

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maggie Chen ◽  
Na-Yeun Choi ◽  
Marissa Kaplan ◽  
Sasha Lebedeva ◽  
Hammad S. N'Cho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Support Group ◽  
African American Men

Consensual qualitative research analysis of a therapeutic support group session for African American men.

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 264-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anderson J. Franklin ◽  
Maggie Chen ◽  
Hammad S. N′cho ◽  
Michael R. Capawana ◽  
Rachel Ocampo Hoogasian
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
African American ◽  
Support Group ◽  
African American Men ◽  
Group Session ◽  
Consensual Qualitative Research ◽  
Research Analysis

Invisibility Syndrome and Racial Identity Development in Psychotherapy and Counseling African American Men

1999 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 761-793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anderson J. Franklin
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Racial Identity ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Personal Identity ◽  
Support Group ◽  
African American Men ◽  
Racial Identity Development ◽  
Psychological Experience ◽  
Counseling Process ◽  
Dynamic Interface

Success in counseling African American men is discussed in terms of an invisibility syndrome and the role played by their racial identity development. Invisibility is considered a psychological experience wherein the person feels that his or her personal identity and ability are undermined by racism in a myriad of interpersonal circumstances. A therapy case is used to explain how this experience helps determine Black men’s perspective on cross-racial interpersonal encounters and supports racial identity development as fundamental to their personal identity and as a buffer against racism. Awareness of the dynamic interface between racism, invisibility, and racial identity development can help the counseling process and effectiveness of our interventions with African American men. Discussion of a therapeutic support group is used as an example.

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