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Samoan youths are critically under-studied in research on youth violence prevention and adolescent development. When Samoan adolescents are included in research investigations, they are typically obscured into the much larger aggregated categories of 'Pacific Islanders' or 'Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.' The present study is one of the first to examine Samoans exclusively and compare the differences between Samoan youths residing in American Samoa and those residing in Hawaimodifier letter turned commai. In an effort to gauge the acculturative processes of adolescents in American Samoan and Hawaimodifier letter turned commai, the present study compared these two groups' self-reports of violence, substance use, grade-point average, scholastic aspirations, importance of religion, ethnic identity, parenting discipline style, and family support. Overall, the results indicated higher rates among Samoan adolescents in Hawaimodifier letter turned commai as compared to those in American Samoa on one violence item and on substance use indicators (i.e., alcohol and marijuana). Samoan adolescents in American Samoa also reported higher levels of protective factors related to the importance of religion (especially for girls), ethnic identity, and family support. However, Samoan adolescents in Hawaimodifier letter turned commai had higher scholastic aspirations than those in American Samoa, despite having lower grade-point averages. In general, Samoan students who did not self-report engaging in violence had higher rates of protective factors as compared to those who indicated engaging in violence. Statistically significant interactions reflected more complex effects. The implications of these findings in conjunction with the results of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) are discussed in the context of Samoan culture, acculturation, and youth development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of a clinic-based smoking cessation counseling curriculum on pediatric resident confidence, knowledge, counseling skills, and provision of counseling. METHODS: Twenty-six residents at a pediatric residency program completed a new smoking cessation counseling curriculum as part of continuity clinic training. We assigned residents to 2 groups (study group, n = 12 vs control group, n = 14) on the basis of clinic site. We used a quasi-experimental, crossover design with pre- and posttests for each group. Control-group residents served as an initial control before the intervention crossover. Residents were tested at baseline and at completion of each group's intervention. Standardized patients measured resident provision of counseling and quality of counseling during resident continuity clinic. Knowledge and confidence were measured by a written exam and self-administered survey. Analysis of variance with a mixed design assessed overall group differences and group performances over time. RESULTS: There were no baseline differences between groups. Across time, there were significant differences between study-group and control-group residents for confidence (F [2, 48] = 11.82; P <.01), knowledge (F [2, 48] = 6.24; P <.01), and provision of counseling (F [2, 48] = 3.60, P <.05) but not counseling skills (F [2, 48] = 2.44; P <.10). After each group's intervention, their confidence, knowledge, counseling skills, and inclusion of counseling increased significantly (P <.01 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that a clinic-based curriculum in smoking cessation counseling can significantly increase knowledge, confidence, counseling skills, and provision of counseling. Future research should evaluate the long-term impact of such curricula on resident counseling behavior and patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: This study investigates the prevalence rates of violent and deviant behaviors among a sample of Filipino, Hawaiian, Japanese, and Samoan public high school students residing in Hawai'i, and is the first relatively large-scale study of its kind regarding a disaggregated sample of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth. Filipino, Hawaiian, and Samoan adolescents were the chosen ethnic groups for this study's focus due to their over-representation in Hawai'i's juvenile justice system. METHODS: Data for this study were gathered collaboratively by researchers, community groups, and school officials who agreed that youth violence was a community concern worthy of deeper understanding and community response. The study's process included three phases: a focus group consultation phase, field-testing, and the final risk and protective factor study. For the final study, 326 randomly selected students representing three Hawai'i public high schools were surveyed on a one-on-one basis. A smaller sample of Japanese students was also included in the study, serving as a control group. RESULTS: Findings illustrate the importance of disaggregating specific ethnic and gender groups within the AAPI ethnic category when examining adolescent issues. As examples, Samoan youth reported significantly higher rates of violence than other ethnic groups surveyed, and Hawaiian girls reported higher rates of substance use than Hawaiian boys, which was not commensurate with other ethnic groups. Filipino, Hawaiian, and Samoan youth all reported significantly higher rates than Japanese on overall deviant behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Implications for further research and community development include enhancing minority youths' bicultural self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]