Courtney S Thomas Tobin
Biographic Data
| ID | 117924 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Courtney S Thomas Tobin |
| GIVEN NAMES | Courtney S Thomas |
| FAMILY NAME | Tobin |
| SIGNATURE | TOBIN C S T |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of California, Los Angeles |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8018-0843 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 33 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 115 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 33 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2020 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
When Race Becomes Central
The National Survey of American Life (NSAL) has advanced the sociology of Black American life, documenting how racism, resilience, and identity shape well-being. Building on this legacy, we examined how racial centrality (i.e., how central being Black is to one’s identity) is associated with depressive symptoms and buffers against everyday discrimination among 1,627 African American adults in the NSAL. Latent profile analysis identified three dis…
Neighborhood Racial Composition, Socioeconomic Status, and Obesity Among Older Black Adults
Objectives Obesity is common among older Black adults, but its underlying drivers, such as neighborhood racial composition (NRC), remain understudied. This study examined the association between NRC and obesity among older Black adults, evaluating the role of individual-level socioeconomic status (SES). Methods Data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study was linked to five-year estimates from the American Community Survey. Obesity was defined…
The Relationship Between Race and Obesity Among Non-Hispanic White and Non-Hispanic Black Men by Education Level
Prior disparities in obesity research emphasize socioeconomic status as a potential driver of White-Black differences in obesity prevalence, but there is a paucity of research examining the influence of education on the observed racial difference among men. The objective of this study was to determine whether the relationship between race and obesity varies by education level among Non-Hispanic White (NHW) and Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) men. We use…
Race, Age, and Allostatic Load Among Men in the Nashville Stress and Health Study
High allostatic load (AL), a measure of physiological dysregulation, has been linked with premature morbidity and mortality. There is a paucity of research assessing AL among non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) American men of various age groups. This study investigated racial differences in AL among NHB and NHW adult men and assessed whether racial differences in AL varied by age. Data were drawn from NHB ( n = 232) and NHW ( n…
Levers of care in the health system
Perinatal depression and anxiety are major contributors to maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Perinatal mental health screening is recommended to identify patients in need of mental healthcare and make appropriate referrals. Additionally, in 2019, California implemented a law to mandate maternal mental health screening. Despite these recommendations and laws, gaps remain in continuity of maternal mental healthcare from screening to refe…
Does the Black-White mental health paradox persist across U.S. geographical regions
The “Black-White mental health paradox” refers to the epidemiological pattern whereby Black Americans experience similar, and often lower, rates of psychiatric disorders relative to their White counterparts despite their greater exposure to stressors and societal-level racism. The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which the Black-White mental health paradox is observed within four U.S. geographical regions: Midwest, Northeast, South, …
Community-based stress, social support, and depressive symptoms among black adults
Guided by social disorganization theory, this study examines the extent to which social support mediates the relationship between community-based stressors and depressive symptoms among Black Americans. Social support is a key mechanism linking psychosocial community-based stressors to racial disparities in mental health. However, little research has explored various sources of social support—family, friend, and church—mediates these relationship…
Psychological distress and obesity risk among U.S. college students
The unique social context of college predisposes students to higher level of psychological distress that affects their health behaviors and obesity risk. This study examined social context, lifestyle behaviors of diet, physical activity, and sleep in the association between psychological distress and BMI. Participants from a large public university in Southern California ( N = 690, 70.4% female, M age = 22.15) completed an in-class survey and 7-d…
Rooted in identity
These findings underscore chronic stress as a critical, understudied risk factor for Black suicide outcomes and highlight racial centrality as a culturally meaningful protective factor with implications for identity-affirming prevention strategies
Interplay of Neighborhood and Psychosocial Factors in Predicting Trajectories of Allostatic Load Among Latinx Adults in the United States
Research highlights the independent roles of neighborhood and psychosocial risk and protective factors for accelerated physiological aging. However, the combined role of neighborhood and psychosocial factors for allostatic load among Latinx adults in the U.S. remains unclear. Informed by the Health Disparities Framework, the study aims are to: (1) examine the direct associations between neighborhood (cohesion and disorder) and psychosocial (lonel…
Whose American Dream? Examining the John Henryism Hypothesis for Psychological Distress among African American and Caribbean Black Women
The John Henryism hypothesis (JHH) suggests high John Henryism may adversely affect the health of individuals with low socioeconomic status (SES). Although prevalent among Black Americans, its impact on Black women's mental health across ethnic subgroups remains understudied. Using National Survey of American Life data (2001-2003), a factor analysis and negative binomial regression examined John Henryism patterns and psychological distress among …
Black Women as Superwomen? The Mental Health Effects of Superwoman Schema, Socioeconomic Status, and Financial Strain
Informed by Black feminist thought and intersectionality, Superwoman Schema (SWS) is a construct that captures a collective response of Black women to racial and gender marginalization by highlighting expectations that they exude strength, suppress emotions, resist vulnerability, succeed despite limitations, and help others to their own self-neglect. Using a sample of Black women (N = 390) in early-midlife (between 30 and 46 years old; M = 37.54 …
Necessary, burdensome, or threatening? Awareness of Black–White disparities in health care access and self-rated health for Black and White Americans
6,449) who responded to the national American Health Values Survey (2015-2016) to test associations between awareness of Black-White inequities in health care and self-rated health. Accurate awareness of health care inequities was associated with 47% higher odds of poorer self-rated health for Black individuals. Inaccurate awareness was associated with 36% higher odds of poorer self-rated health for White individuals. Accurate awareness may be ad…
Are Distressed Black Women Also Depressed? Implications for a Mental Health Paradox
The relationship between political efficacy and self-rated health
Latinx represent a growing population in the United States (US) that continue to experience a disproportionate burden of disease. However, health disparities vary across Latinx subgroups, including Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban communities, particularly when assessing self-rated health. Given the nature of political exclusion in the US, these differences may be associated with underexplored political factors, or political determinants of healt…
A Latent Class Analysis of Personal Coping Resources and Depressive Symptoms Among Middle-Aged and Older Latinx Adults
Objectives: To identify coping profiles and evaluate their implications for depressive symptoms among Latinx adults. Methods: Data come from a community-dwelling sample of Latinx adults ages 45+ in Florida ( N = 461). Latent class analysis was used to identify profiles of personal coping resources based on patterns across spirituality (spiritual coping, divine fate), ethnic identity (centrality, connectedness), and personal control (mastery, self…
When Resilience Becomes Risk
There is a well-established link between psychosocial risks and psychological health among African American (AA) men. Yet, the psychosocial sources and physical health consequences of resilience (i.e., the ability to maintain good health despite adversity) remain underexplored. Using data from 283 AA men in the Nashville Stress and Health Study, the present study investigated the links between psychosocial resilience and allostatic load (AL), a b…
Household Composition, Income, and Body Mass Index Among Adults by Race/Ethnicity and Sex
Association between Proximity to Food Sources and Dietary Behaviors in Black and White College Graduates
The associations between perceived proximity to food sources and dietary behaviors differ by race and sex among college graduates with important implications for racial disparities in diet quality and obesity across SES
Perceived Neighborhood Racial Composition and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Americans Across Adulthood
Objectives: To evaluate the relationships between perceived neighborhood racial composition (PNRC), psychosocial risks and resources, and depressive symptoms among young (ages 22-35), middle-aged (ages 36-49), and older (ages 50+) Black Americans. Methods: Full sample and age-stratified linear regression models estimated the PNRC-depressive symptoms association and the extent to which it persisted after accounting for psychosocial risks (i.e., ne…
Loneliness Exacerbates the Association Between Bodily Pain and Depressive Symptoms Among Middle-Aged and Older Latinx Adults
Objectives: To investigate the associations between three bodily pain dimensions (intensity, frequency, severity) and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older Latinxs ages 40-94 and to determine whether loneliness conditioned the pain-depressive symptoms associations. Methods: Data are from a community-based study of community-dwelling residents in Florida ( N = 527). Multivariable linear regression models assessed the impact of each pain …
Racial/ethnic differences in social support and health among Asian American and non-Hispanic White midlife women
These findings highlight important distinctions in the ways that psychosocial factors shape health across racial/ethnic groups. In particular, this study helps advance our understanding of important subgroup differences in the stress-buffering role of social support for Asian American midlife women. Interventions should focus on identifying sources of social strain among Asian American women that can increase the risk for poor health and identify…
Correlates of Elevated C-Reactive Protein Among Black Older Adults
Sociodemographic factors had a limited association with elevated CRP among older Black Americans. Rather, a range of psychosocial, behavioral, and health-related factors were more influential determinants of elevated CRP among older Black Americans. Most notably, findings demonstrate distinct correlates of CRP among Black women and men, underscoring the critical need to further evaluate the risk and protective mechanisms undergirding disparities …
Discrimination, Racial Identity, and Hypertension Among Black Americans Across Young, Middle, and Older Adulthood
Findings underscore the significance of racial identity as sources of both psychosocial vulnerability and resilience for minority aging. Clinicians and public health professionals should consider racial identity beyond young adulthood to promote healthy aging via hypertension management among Black Americans
Vicarious Experiences of Major Discrimination and Psychological Distress among Black Men and Women
Racism-related stress frameworks posit that the discriminatory experiences of one's loved ones may threaten one's well-being, but relatively few studies have examined how they may impact mental health beyond childhood and adolescence. Using data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study ( N = 1,252), the present study assessed the prevalence of vicarious experiences of discrimination among subsamples of Black men ( n = 297) and women ( n = 330),…
Is John Henryism a Health Risk or Resource
Research shows that John Henryism, a high-effort, active coping style, is associated with poor physical health, whereas others suggest it may be psychologically beneficial. As such, it is unclear whether John Henryism represents a health risk or resource for black Americans and whether its impact varies across sociodemographic and gender groups. The present study used data from a representative community sample of black Americans (n = 627) from t…
Do Racial Differences in Coping Resources Explain the Black-White Paradox in Mental Health? A Test of Multiple Mechanisms
A central paradox in the mental health literature is the tendency for black Americans to report similar or better mental health than white Americans despite experiencing greater stress exposure. However, black Americans' higher levels of certain coping resources may explain this finding. Using data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study (n = 1,186), we examine whether black Americans have higher levels of self-esteem, social support, religiou…
Vicarious Experiences of Major Discrimination and Psychological Distress among Black Men and Women
Racism-related stress frameworks posit that the discriminatory experiences of one's loved ones may threaten one's well-being, but relatively few studies have examined how they may impact mental health beyond childhood and adolescence. Using data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study ( N = 1,252), the present study assessed the prevalence of vicarious experiences of discrimination among subsamples of Black men ( n = 297) and women ( n = 330),…
Race and SES Differences in Psychosocial Resources
Social stress theory predicts that psychosocial resources shape health inequalities but is less clear about the ways in which the availability of resources differs across racial and socioeconomic groups. Using data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study (N = 1,214), the present study assessed racial and socioeconomic status (SES) differences in mastery, self-esteem, and social support; evaluated the extent to which SES accounts for racial dif…
Does Early Life Racial Discrimination Explain a Mental Health Paradox among Black Adults
Objectives: To evaluate the impact of early life racial discrimination (ELRD) on mental health among Black adults. Methods: Data were from the Nashville Stress and Health Study ( n = 618). Ordinary least squares regression models examined the relationship between ELRD and adult psychological distress; logistic regression estimated the probability of past-year major depressive disorder (MDD). We also assessed whether ELRD moderated the relationshi…
Discrimination, Racial Identity, and Hypertension Among Black Americans Across Young, Middle, and Older Adulthood
Findings underscore the significance of racial identity as sources of both psychosocial vulnerability and resilience for minority aging. Clinicians and public health professionals should consider racial identity beyond young adulthood to promote healthy aging via hypertension management among Black Americans
Early Life Racial Discrimination, Racial Centrality, and Allostatic Load Among African American Older Adults
Findings highlight the multiple pathways through which racism-related stressors and psychosocial resources interact to shape physiological dysregulation in later life and underscore the health significance of racial identity for older African Americans. Clinicians and public health professionals should assess early life stressors and foster psychosocial resilience to promote healthy aging
Black Women as Superwomen? The Mental Health Effects of Superwoman Schema, Socioeconomic Status, and Financial Strain
Informed by Black feminist thought and intersectionality, Superwoman Schema (SWS) is a construct that captures a collective response of Black women to racial and gender marginalization by highlighting expectations that they exude strength, suppress emotions, resist vulnerability, succeed despite limitations, and help others to their own self-neglect. Using a sample of Black women (N = 390) in early-midlife (between 30 and 46 years old; M = 37.54 …
Correlates of Elevated C-Reactive Protein Among Black Older Adults
Sociodemographic factors had a limited association with elevated CRP among older Black Americans. Rather, a range of psychosocial, behavioral, and health-related factors were more influential determinants of elevated CRP among older Black Americans. Most notably, findings demonstrate distinct correlates of CRP among Black women and men, underscoring the critical need to further evaluate the risk and protective mechanisms undergirding disparities …
Perceived Neighborhood Racial Composition and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Americans Across Adulthood
Objectives: To evaluate the relationships between perceived neighborhood racial composition (PNRC), psychosocial risks and resources, and depressive symptoms among young (ages 22-35), middle-aged (ages 36-49), and older (ages 50+) Black Americans. Methods: Full sample and age-stratified linear regression models estimated the PNRC-depressive symptoms association and the extent to which it persisted after accounting for psychosocial risks (i.e., ne…
Loneliness Exacerbates the Association Between Bodily Pain and Depressive Symptoms Among Middle-Aged and Older Latinx Adults
Objectives: To investigate the associations between three bodily pain dimensions (intensity, frequency, severity) and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older Latinxs ages 40-94 and to determine whether loneliness conditioned the pain-depressive symptoms associations. Methods: Data are from a community-based study of community-dwelling residents in Florida ( N = 527). Multivariable linear regression models assessed the impact of each pain …
Racial/ethnic differences in social support and health among Asian American and non-Hispanic White midlife women
These findings highlight important distinctions in the ways that psychosocial factors shape health across racial/ethnic groups. In particular, this study helps advance our understanding of important subgroup differences in the stress-buffering role of social support for Asian American midlife women. Interventions should focus on identifying sources of social strain among Asian American women that can increase the risk for poor health and identify…
Racial Non-equivalence of Socioeconomic Status and Self-rated Health among African Americans and Whites
Racial health inequities are not fully explained by socioeconomic status (SES) measures like education, income and wealth. The largest inequities are observed among African American and white college graduates suggesting that African Americans do not receive the same health benefits of education. African Americans do not receive the same income and wealth returns of college education as their white counterparts indicating a racial non-equivalence…
What Are the Relationships between Psychosocial Community Characteristics and Dietary Behaviors in a Racially/Ethnically Diverse Urban Population in Los Angeles County
To address existing gaps in public health practice, we used data from a 2014 internet panel survey of 954 Los Angeles County adults to investigate the relationships between psychosocial community characteristics (PCCs) and two key chronic disease-related dietary behaviors: fruit and vegetable (F+V) and soda consumption. Negative binomial regression models estimated the associations between 'neighborhood risks and resources' and 'sense of communit…
Race and SES Differences in Psychosocial Resources
Social stress theory predicts that psychosocial resources shape health inequalities but is less clear about the ways in which the availability of resources differs across racial and socioeconomic groups. Using data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study (N = 1,214), the present study assessed racial and socioeconomic status (SES) differences in mastery, self-esteem, and social support; evaluated the extent to which SES accounts for racial dif…
Does Early Life Racial Discrimination Explain a Mental Health Paradox among Black Adults
Objectives: To evaluate the impact of early life racial discrimination (ELRD) on mental health among Black adults. Methods: Data were from the Nashville Stress and Health Study ( n = 618). Ordinary least squares regression models examined the relationship between ELRD and adult psychological distress; logistic regression estimated the probability of past-year major depressive disorder (MDD). We also assessed whether ELRD moderated the relationshi…
Early Life Racial Discrimination, Racial Centrality, and Allostatic Load Among African American Older Adults
Findings highlight the multiple pathways through which racism-related stressors and psychosocial resources interact to shape physiological dysregulation in later life and underscore the health significance of racial identity for older African Americans. Clinicians and public health professionals should assess early life stressors and foster psychosocial resilience to promote healthy aging
Is John Henryism a Health Risk or Resource
Research shows that John Henryism, a high-effort, active coping style, is associated with poor physical health, whereas others suggest it may be psychologically beneficial. As such, it is unclear whether John Henryism represents a health risk or resource for black Americans and whether its impact varies across sociodemographic and gender groups. The present study used data from a representative community sample of black Americans (n = 627) from t…
When Resilience Becomes Risk
There is a well-established link between psychosocial risks and psychological health among African American (AA) men. Yet, the psychosocial sources and physical health consequences of resilience (i.e., the ability to maintain good health despite adversity) remain underexplored. Using data from 283 AA men in the Nashville Stress and Health Study, the present study investigated the links between psychosocial resilience and allostatic load (AL), a b…
Household Composition, Income, and Body Mass Index Among Adults by Race/Ethnicity and Sex
Association between Proximity to Food Sources and Dietary Behaviors in Black and White College Graduates
The associations between perceived proximity to food sources and dietary behaviors differ by race and sex among college graduates with important implications for racial disparities in diet quality and obesity across SES
Perceived Neighborhood Racial Composition and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Americans Across Adulthood
Objectives: To evaluate the relationships between perceived neighborhood racial composition (PNRC), psychosocial risks and resources, and depressive symptoms among young (ages 22-35), middle-aged (ages 36-49), and older (ages 50+) Black Americans. Methods: Full sample and age-stratified linear regression models estimated the PNRC-depressive symptoms association and the extent to which it persisted after accounting for psychosocial risks (i.e., ne…
Loneliness Exacerbates the Association Between Bodily Pain and Depressive Symptoms Among Middle-Aged and Older Latinx Adults
Objectives: To investigate the associations between three bodily pain dimensions (intensity, frequency, severity) and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older Latinxs ages 40-94 and to determine whether loneliness conditioned the pain-depressive symptoms associations. Methods: Data are from a community-based study of community-dwelling residents in Florida ( N = 527). Multivariable linear regression models assessed the impact of each pain …
Racial/ethnic differences in social support and health among Asian American and non-Hispanic White midlife women
These findings highlight important distinctions in the ways that psychosocial factors shape health across racial/ethnic groups. In particular, this study helps advance our understanding of important subgroup differences in the stress-buffering role of social support for Asian American midlife women. Interventions should focus on identifying sources of social strain among Asian American women that can increase the risk for poor health and identify…
Correlates of Elevated C-Reactive Protein Among Black Older Adults
Sociodemographic factors had a limited association with elevated CRP among older Black Americans. Rather, a range of psychosocial, behavioral, and health-related factors were more influential determinants of elevated CRP among older Black Americans. Most notably, findings demonstrate distinct correlates of CRP among Black women and men, underscoring the critical need to further evaluate the risk and protective mechanisms undergirding disparities …
Discrimination, Racial Identity, and Hypertension Among Black Americans Across Young, Middle, and Older Adulthood
Findings underscore the significance of racial identity as sources of both psychosocial vulnerability and resilience for minority aging. Clinicians and public health professionals should consider racial identity beyond young adulthood to promote healthy aging via hypertension management among Black Americans
Vicarious Experiences of Major Discrimination and Psychological Distress among Black Men and Women
Racism-related stress frameworks posit that the discriminatory experiences of one's loved ones may threaten one's well-being, but relatively few studies have examined how they may impact mental health beyond childhood and adolescence. Using data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study ( N = 1,252), the present study assessed the prevalence of vicarious experiences of discrimination among subsamples of Black men ( n = 297) and women ( n = 330),…
Familial Financial Assistance and Body Mass Index in Black College Graduates
Do Racial Differences in Coping Resources Explain the Black-White Paradox in Mental Health? A Test of Multiple Mechanisms
A central paradox in the mental health literature is the tendency for black Americans to report similar or better mental health than white Americans despite experiencing greater stress exposure. However, black Americans' higher levels of certain coping resources may explain this finding. Using data from the Nashville Stress and Health Study (n = 1,186), we examine whether black Americans have higher levels of self-esteem, social support, religiou…
Are Distressed Black Women Also Depressed? Implications for a Mental Health Paradox
The relationship between political efficacy and self-rated health
Latinx represent a growing population in the United States (US) that continue to experience a disproportionate burden of disease. However, health disparities vary across Latinx subgroups, including Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban communities, particularly when assessing self-rated health. Given the nature of political exclusion in the US, these differences may be associated with underexplored political factors, or political determinants of healt…
A Latent Class Analysis of Personal Coping Resources and Depressive Symptoms Among Middle-Aged and Older Latinx Adults
Objectives: To identify coping profiles and evaluate their implications for depressive symptoms among Latinx adults. Methods: Data come from a community-dwelling sample of Latinx adults ages 45+ in Florida ( N = 461). Latent class analysis was used to identify profiles of personal coping resources based on patterns across spirituality (spiritual coping, divine fate), ethnic identity (centrality, connectedness), and personal control (mastery, self…
Necessary, burdensome, or threatening? Awareness of Black–White disparities in health care access and self-rated health for Black and White Americans
6,449) who responded to the national American Health Values Survey (2015-2016) to test associations between awareness of Black-White inequities in health care and self-rated health. Accurate awareness of health care inequities was associated with 47% higher odds of poorer self-rated health for Black individuals. Inaccurate awareness was associated with 36% higher odds of poorer self-rated health for White individuals. Accurate awareness may be ad…
The Relationship Between Race and Obesity Among Non-Hispanic White and Non-Hispanic Black Men by Education Level
Prior disparities in obesity research emphasize socioeconomic status as a potential driver of White-Black differences in obesity prevalence, but there is a paucity of research examining the influence of education on the observed racial difference among men. The objective of this study was to determine whether the relationship between race and obesity varies by education level among Non-Hispanic White (NHW) and Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) men. We use…
Race, Age, and Allostatic Load Among Men in the Nashville Stress and Health Study
High allostatic load (AL), a measure of physiological dysregulation, has been linked with premature morbidity and mortality. There is a paucity of research assessing AL among non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) American men of various age groups. This study investigated racial differences in AL among NHB and NHW adult men and assessed whether racial differences in AL varied by age. Data were drawn from NHB ( n = 232) and NHW ( n…
Levers of care in the health system
Perinatal depression and anxiety are major contributors to maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Perinatal mental health screening is recommended to identify patients in need of mental healthcare and make appropriate referrals. Additionally, in 2019, California implemented a law to mandate maternal mental health screening. Despite these recommendations and laws, gaps remain in continuity of maternal mental healthcare from screening to refe…
Does the Black-White mental health paradox persist across U.S. geographical regions
The “Black-White mental health paradox” refers to the epidemiological pattern whereby Black Americans experience similar, and often lower, rates of psychiatric disorders relative to their White counterparts despite their greater exposure to stressors and societal-level racism. The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which the Black-White mental health paradox is observed within four U.S. geographical regions: Midwest, Northeast, South, …
Psychology (26 works) · Medicine (24 works) · Gerontology (20 works) · Health disparities and outcomes (19 works) · Demography (17 works) · Psychiatry (15 works) · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research (15 works) · Sociology (15 works) · Clinical Psychology (13 works) · Mental health (13 works)