The purpose of this dissertation was to examine substance use-related outcomes among criminal justice-involved African Americans using a multiple manuscript format. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has deemed nonmedical prescription opioid use an epidemic. National estimates indicate approximately 3.9% of African Americans engage in nonmedical prescription opioid use. Research suggests African Americans involved in the criminal justice system may be significantly at risk of substance use more generally; yet, there are no known estimates of nonmedical opioid use among this subgroup. Rising rates of nonmedical opioid use also has implications for discussing barriers to treatment among socioeconomically marginalized African Americans. Scholars have noted persistent health disparities are associated with a paucity of research examining: 1) the social and contextual paradigm in which substance use exists; 2) women’s health; and 3) longitudinal studies examining determinants of substance use treatment among African Americans with criminal justice histories. The current multiple manuscript dissertation sought to directly contribute to the literature by: a) proposing a culturally specific conceptual framework of substance use among African Americans; b) examining trends and correlates of nonmedical opioid use among criminal justice-involved African American men; and c) investigating psychosocial predictors of substance use treatment among African American women across criminal justice status. In the first manuscript, preexistent health behavior theories were used as a premise to formulate and propose a culturally relevant conceptualization of substance use among African Americans. The proposed framework posited substance use exists within a psychosocial context and is associated with a host of related outcomes, including criminal justice involvement and HIV. In the second manuscript, Smart’s (1980) availability- proneness theory of opioid addiction was used to conduct cross-sectional analyses of nonmedical opioid use. Descriptive statistics illustrated nonmedical opioid use among African American men in corrections-based drug treatment (n = 4, 021), were commensurate with national averages. Fitted logistic regression models revealed significant positive linear trends in nonmedical opioid use across five cohorts (2010-2014). A stepwise logistic regression model indicated age, years of education, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and self-reported use of prescription drugs to attenuate psychological distress were significantly related to nonmedical opioid use. Psychosocial context and systemic interventions were discussed. Future directions called for further examination of the potential progression of nonmedical prescription opioid use into heroin use, among socioeconomically marginalized African American communities. In the third manuscript, Gelberg and colleagues’ (2000) behavioral model for vulnerable populations was used to examine psychosocial predictors of substance use treatment over 18-months. A hierarchical logistic regression indicated African American women involved in the criminal justice system (n = 320) encounter several impediments to substance use treatment related to their marginalized status related to age, years of education, criminal justice status, a history of trauma, and perceived barriers to care. Implications for developing culturally- adapted treatment interventions and healthcare reform were discussed. The dissertation concludes with a synthesized discussion of the findings in relation to the proposed conceptual framework, overall strengths and limitations, and future directions for psychologists.

During the past two decades, concerns about Black males’ academic achievement have been a major theme in the literature devoted to education and social sciences. Despite over two decades of studies focused specifically on Black males and their academic underachievement, the achievement gap persists. According to the National Center for Educational Statistic (2006), African-American males were reported as being disproportionally negatively represented in regards to academic achievement. Some researchers suggested Black children’s underachievement might be due to the lack of parental involvement. Other studies have highlighted statements of Black males who indicated parental involvement factors that contributed to their academic success. In Howard (2014) study, Black males stated their parents contributed to their success by “staying on them” regarding schoolwork and by setting higher expectations for their academic performance. The concept of parental involvement is cultural-bound and multi-dimensional. Parental involvement is also a bi-directional process that involves school and parents. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that described parent involvement during high school of Black male students enrolled in a four-year college, and the distribution of perceived parent involvement during high school across this population. This study employed Yan and Lin’s (2005) parent involvement during high school survey to collect data from a convenient and purposeful sample of 146 Black males enrolled in an undergraduate degree seeking-program at a university in the southern region of the United States. The data was statistically analyzed using Confirmatory Factor analysis. The results of this study revealed the proposed hypothesized three factors model of parent involvement did not align well with the present data set. However, the individual subscale factors when analyzed in isolation, with some modifications, did align. As for the distribution of the factors, Family Norms were perceived as the most prevalent parent involvement subscale factor during high school for this particular population. Under the Family Norms factor subscale “Parent-teenager relationship” emerged as the most dominant variable, followed by “Educational expectations.” This study was significant as it highlighted and added to the knowledge relevant to successful Black males’ perceptions of parental involvement factors during their high school years. Identifying these factors can be useful toward improving graduation rates among Black males. In addition, information gathered can assist in further development of effective parent engagement school programming initiatives specific for this population.

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This post-positivist research study explored the possible relationship between Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) and the presence of underlying psychological and emotional issues. An exploratory design with naturalistic methods of inquiry was utilized to investigate whether the presence, or absence, of these issues had any impact on the overall disease process.

This research project utilized a post-positivist design for the purpose of exploring and determining the most appropriate educational placement for seriously emotionally disturbed children who reside in residential care and who are considered to be "high risk," both educationally and socially. It was the goal of the study, through qualitative research, to establish a basis for the successful education and social integration of SED children.

Among the goals of recent supported work employment programs is improvement of competitive employment opportunities for individuals who suffer from chronic mental illness, and for whom competitive employment outcomes are poor. This study examined the effects of a vocational rehabilitation program, Project Success (Skills Upgrade: Client Centered Empowerment Supportive Services), on self esteem and quality of life for chronically mentally ill participants.

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The purpose of the present research is to investigate whether or not chronically ill children are victims of child abuse more frequently than healthy children. The gender of the child and of the parent will also be examined for differences in the treatment children receive.