Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Cincinnati, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 35-39). Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Cincinnati, 2004. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Oct. 26, 2004). Includes bibliographical references (p. 35-39).

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2007 / Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Social Work. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-94).

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 38-42).

Thesis (M.A.)--Georgia State University, 2006. / John Peterson, committee chair; Roger Bakeman, James Emshoff, committee members. Electronic text (79 p.) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed Aug. 9, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 70-79).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, November, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University, 2009. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 72-80).

To date, traditional behavioral interventions have done little to reduce the prevalence and transmission of HIV among African American men who have sex with men (AAMSM), a highly at risk group. Some researchers theorize that the lack of success may be because these interventions do not address contextual factors among AAMSM. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is one approach to research with the potential to lead to effective interventions in the future. CBPR is a collaborative, mixed-methods and multidisciplinary, approach to scientific inquiry, which is conducted with, and within, the community. The current study follows the CBPR approach to engage and develop a relationship with the African American communities in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Contextual issues were discussed in order to identify emerging themes regarding HIV health related issues among AAMSM to provide the groundwork for continued CBPR research and future interventions with AAMSM in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. To accomplish this goal, researchers began the CBPR process by conducting interviews and focus groups with a sample of approximately 62 (34 from key informant interviews, 28 from focus groups [gender balanced]) AIDS service organization leaders and workers, advocates, medical doctors and community members with first-hand knowledge of HIV health issues in the AAMSM community. Transcripts of these interviews and focus groups were analyzed to identify emerging themes at the societal (religious doctrine, African American Culture, age-related norms and stigma), community (education, religious views/policy and community norms) and individual (disclosure, personal identity, sexual behavior/risk, accessing care and communication) levels. This data was used to create a holistic narrative report that will be used to direct the community advisory board (CAB) and guide future research and interventions.

During adolescence, self-identified gay black males may develop their identities differently than their gay white male counterparts. This may be attributed to the reconciliation of stressors when developing gay, black, and male identities within certain environmental contexts. To investigate this, twelve qualitative interviews were conducted of gay black males from which developmental themes were extracted. While many of the developmental processes are similar to their white homosexual counterparts, some differences were noted regarding racism, objectification by the white gay community, and use of the internet to develop particular identities. A new theory using dynamic systems theory that includes many complexities of identity development is proposed. A hybrid story-like model was developed to illustrate the roles of lenses and buffers as they pertain to how an identity functions. Lenses allow a person to see their way through a variety of experiences; buffers contain coping mechanisms and skills to alleviate tension from negative experiences. Future research should include other minority groups and women for a more complete picture of identity development processes. This would allow better tools to be built that can be utilized by intervention designers.

African American men who have sex with men (AAMSM) are at a greater risk of contracting HIV than any other ethnic group, subpopulation, or race. Personal, environmental, and social variables can affect risk behavior. Driven by Beck's cognitive theory of depression, this quantitative study examined the relationship between depression and HIV risk behaviors in a sample of AAMSM (n = 108). Data was gathered via the Beck Depression Inventory and the HIV Risk Behavior Questionnaire. Simple and multiple linear regression analysis were conducted to analyze the data to determine the correlation between HIV risk behavior and depression. According to study findings, there was no significant relationship found between depression and HIV risk behavior in this sample of AAMSM after accounting for the variance associated with the covariates: age, alcohol and substance use, condom attitudes, HIV knowledge, and income. While the study findings do not indicate depressive symptoms were associated with HIV sexual risk behavior, age, alcohol or drug use, and condom attitudes were significantly and positively related to HIV sexual risk behavior. Future research is recommended to identify factors specific to AAMSM for use in devising African American MSM-centric interventions. The results could inform the development of interventions targeting older AAMSM to alter behaviors associated with alcohol and drug use to impact sexual risk behaviors and reduce HIV transmission in AAMSM, thus resulting in positive social change in their lives and the lives of their families and communities.