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Cross-cultural variability in respondent processing of survey questions may bias results from multiethnic samples. We analyzed behavior codes, which identify difficulties in the interactions of respondents and interviewers, from a discrimination module contained within a field test of the 2007 California Health Interview Survey. In all, 553 (English) telephone interviews yielded 13,999 interactions involving 22 items. Multilevel logistic regression modeling revealed that respondent age and several item characteristics (response format, customized questions, length, and first item with new response format), but not race/ethnicity, were associated with interactional problems. These findings suggest that item function within a multi-cultural, albeit English language, survey may be largely influenced by question features, as opposed to respondent characteristics such as race/ethnicity.

Investigated whether blacks who did not drink alcohol were more culturally traditional than those who did drink. Surveys of 520 black adults from varying socioeconomic and education levels indicated that black abstainers were more immersed in black culture, more religious, and had stronger traditional family values. Black drinkers were more acculturated-assimilated and had a greater distrust of whites. (SM)

When eight black and eight white children tried to purchase cigarettes in California, where purchase by minors is illegal, black children were sold cigarettes significantly more often, especially in black neighborhoods and by nonblack clerks, and adult customers made no effort to stop them. Implications for smoking prevention are discussed. (SLD)

Explored the relationships among acculturation, distrust of Whites, and AIDS knowledge for 171 African American adults. Results suggest that African American knowledge of AIDS transmission may be affected by distrust of Whites, with those who know the least about AIDS being the most distrustful. Implications for AIDS education are discussed. (SLD)

Objectives. We examined the standard compliance protocol and its validity as a measure of youth access to tobacco. Methods. In Study 1, youth smokers reported buying cigarettes in stores where they are regular customers. In Study 2, youths attempted to purchase cigarettes by using the Standard Protocol, in which they appeared at stores once for cigarettes, and by using the Familiarity Protocol, in which they were rendered regular customers by purchasing nontobacco items 4 times and then requested cigarettes during their fifth visit. Results. Sales to youths aged 17 years in the Familiarity Protocol were significantly higher than sales to the same age group in the Standard Protocols (62.5% vs. 6%, respectively). Conclusions. The Standard Protocol does not match how youths obtain cigarettes. Access is low for stranger youths within compliance studies, but access is high for familiar youths outside of compliance studies.

A revised version of the African American Acculturation Scale (AAAS) is presented. The AAAS presents attitudes of African Americans in such areas as religious beliefs and practices, ethnic preferences, health beliefs, family values, and racial segregation.

It was hypothesized that women may have more depressive, anxious, and somatic symptoms than men because they experience a deleterious stressor that men do not: sexist treatment. A total of 255 students (180 females, 75 males) at a state university completed an anonymous questionnaire containing measures of these symptoms. Women were found to exhibit significantly greater symptoms than men on all of them. Further, women who experienced frequent sexism had significantly more symptoms than men on all symptom measures, whereas women who experienced little sexism did not differ from men on any symptom measure. These findings suggest that gender-specific stressors not only play a role in psychiatric symptoms among women but may account for well-known gender differences in those symptoms as well.

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) has been likened to the bible since it has been read and used as basic reference by graduate and undergraduate psychology students. The APA has enforces the adoption of a strict writing style among its authors and articles should be written as impartially as possible, with all conclusions backed by pertinent data. However, some psychologists have argued that the Publication Manual may be too rigid, orthodox, elitist and exclusionary that many academic authors have ignored this fact.

A comparison is presented between a measure for psychiatric symptoms and a measure for frequency of racism experiences. While indications of racism were strongly related to the total number of psychiatric symptoms and to male respondents, they were not related to social class, age or education.

Objectives. This study assessed the role of age, racial/ethnic group, and gender, as well as that of other sociocultural variables, in minors' access to tobacco. Methods. Thirty-six minors attempted to purchase cigarettes once in each of 72 stores (2592 purchase attempts). The minors represented equal numbers of girls and boys; 10-year-olds, 14-year-olds, and 16-year-olds; and Whites, Blacks, and Latinos. Equal numbers of stores were in Black, White, and Latino neighborhoods. Results. Older children were more likely than younger ones to be sold cigarettes, and Latino children were more likely than Whites to be sold cigarettes. Older Black children (irrespective of gender) were the single most likely group to be sold cigarettes. Cigarettes were significantly more likely to be sold to children by male than female clerks and in specific sociocultural contexts. Conclusions. Interventions with retailers must address sociocultural variables to improve effectiveness in reducing minors' access to tobacco. (Am J Public Health 1997,87:823-826)

African-Americans tend to have a stronger belief in the curative power of prayer than Whites and members of other ethic groups in the US. This belief does not result from status factors, and seems to reflect African-American culture rather than education or social class. African-Americans who believe in the curative power of prayer tend to exercise less regularly than those who do not, and seem less willing to be actively involved in their health care.

Co-sleeping, extended families and informal adoption during childhood are prevalent among half of African-Americans. Co-sleeping and informal adoption are a function of culture rather than of social class; while extended families are a function of both poverty and culture, with poverty as the dominant factor. These three practices are more common among African-Africans than among other ethnic groups.

The application of the Schedule of Racist Events (SRE) on African-American population shows its very high internal consistency and split-half reliability. Results show that African-Americans put up with racial discrimination almost constantly, leading to psychiatric symptoms and increased nicotine consumption. The SRE was developed to study the prevalence and negative physical and mental health impact of racism on the lives of African-Americans. The SRE assesses the frequency of racial discrimination in the past year and over a lifetime.