Shawn O Utsey

Biographic Data

ID643137
NAMEShawn O Utsey
GIVEN NAMESShawn
FAMILY NAMEO Utsey
SIGNATUREUTSEY S O
AFFILIATIONSVirginia Commonwealth University
ORCID0000-0002-4876-8305
VERIFIEDYes
TOTAL WORKS52
TOTAL CITATIONS884
AUTHOR COUNT52
EDITOR COUNT0
FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR1996
LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR2026
H-INDEX16

  • Zulu Ethnic Identity, Social Connectedness (Ubuntu), and Resilience as Predictors of Subjective Well-Being Among “Born Free” Black South Africans

    Open AccessShawn O Utsey, J Baker et al.ARTICLEJournal of Black Psychology2026References: 28

    The complexity and fluidity of racial identities in contemporary South Africa are but one symptom of the historical trauma caused by decades of Apartheid. The racial hierarchies created by the white minority Afrikaners left an indelible mark on the psyches of all South Africans who experienced it firsthand. This study, however, seeks to examine the impact of Apartheid-related historical trauma on the so-called “Born Free” generation of South Afri…

  • Critical Reflection, Racial Regard, and Appropriated Racial Oppression in Black Emerging Adults

    Open AccessKeyona A Allen, C T Jones et al.ARTICLEJournal of Black Psychology2026References: 74

    Existing literature suggests that critical consciousness positively influences racial identity and decreases racially marginalized peoples’ susceptibility to internalizing negative beliefs and stereotypes regarding their racial group. However, these proposed associations remain largely theoretical in nature and have yet to be examined empirically. The present study addresses this gap by exploring the relationship between critical reflection, raci…

  • Reflections as Editor-in-Chief of JBP (2002–2008): The Fourth Editor of the Journal of Black Psychology

    Open AccessShawn O UtseyARTICLEJournal of Black Psychology2024

  • Trapped in a Pathological Paradigm: Critiques of Suicidology Scholarship and Practice

    Open AccessHuberta Jackson-Lowman, Nkechinyelum A Chioneso et al.ARTICLEJournal of Black Psychology2023

    Suicide among Africana youth, ages 10–19, is increasing at a faster rate than all ethnoracial groups in the US. Over four decades, epidemiological data reveal an upward trend in Africana youth suicidal behavior. We contend that the rising rates of Africana youth suicide cannot be effectively addressed because suicidology is trapped in a pathological paradigm based on the imposition of European cultural hegemony. Focusing on Africana youth, two cr…

  • “Could Be Even Worse in College”: Social Factors, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Men on a College Campus

    Open AccessKofoworola D A Williams, Sharyn E Dougherty et al.ARTICLEJournal of Racial and Ethnic…2023

  • Collective Self-Esteem and Well-Being Among College Students in Ghana

    Camilla W Nonterah, Rebecca R Hubbard et al.ARTICLEInternational Perspectives in…2023

    Collectivist values may influence one’s display of self-esteem. Past research has established an association between psychological well-being and individuals’ appraisal of their value as a member of a social group, self-evaluation as an individual, and perception of others’ evaluation of their group (collective self-esteem). This study examined collective self-esteem, specifically whether private and public collective self-esteem and member self-…

  • Risk, Protective, and Associated Factors of Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms and Campus Health Services Utilization Among Black Men on a College Campus

    Open AccessKofoworola D A Williams, Amy E Adkins et al.ARTICLEJournal of Racial and Ethnic…2022

  • The Weight of Racial Discrimination: Examining the Association Between Racial Discrimination and Change in Adiposity Among Emerging Adult Women Enrolled in a Behavioral Weight Loss Program

    Open AccessKristal Lyn Brown, Anika L Hines et al.ARTICLEJournal of Racial and Ethnic…2022

    BACKGROUND: Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) emerging adult (EA) women are at disproportionate risk for obesity but experience limited benefit from behavioral weight loss (BWL) programs. Race-related stress could play a role; the goal of this study was to examine the association between racial discrimination (RD) and early (3 months) changes in adiposity, and to explore potential protective factors, among EA in an adapted BWL program. METHODS: ). At base…

  • Culturally prescribed beliefs about mental illness among the Akan of Ghana

    Open AccessAnnabella Opare-Henaku, Shawn O UtseyARTICLETranscultural Psychiatry2017Cited by: 5References: 41

    Mental illness is a culturally laden phenomenon, and different cultures have unique ways of constructing mental illness. In this study, conceptions of mental illness were explored among 30 participants of Akan descent in Ghana through individual and group interviews. Participants demonstrated a wide range of knowledge on mental illness indicating that poor self-care, deficits in social functioning, and disordered behaviors are the cardinal featur…

  • Cultural humility and racial microaggressions in counseling.

    Joshua N Hook, Jennifer Farrell et al.ARTICLEJournal of Counseling Psychology2016

    Racial microaggressions may contribute to poor counseling outcomes in racial/ethnic minority clients. The present study examined the occurrence of racial microaggressions in counseling using a large and diverse sample and explored the association between perceived cultural humility of the counselor and racial microaggressions. Racial/ethnic minority participants (N = 2,212) answered questions about the frequency and impact of racial microaggressi…

  • Forgiveness as a Catalyst for Psychological, Physical, and Spiritual Resilience in Disasters and Crises

    Open AccessEverett L Worthington, Brandon J Griffin et al.ARTICLEJournal of Psychology and Theology2016

    In this conceptual article, we argue that some people are resilient in the face of disasters while others are not. Resilience may necessitate forgiveness—of perpetrators of interpersonal harms (e.g., Rwandan Genocide in 1994); of inadequate responder assistance (e.g., Hurricane Katrina); or in situations where community members perceive themselves as victims of offense by virtue of their group affiliation, although they themselves were not actual…

  • Racial/Ethnic Identity, Religious Commitment, and Well-Being in African Americans

    Open AccessAdebayo Ajibade, Joshua N Hook et al.ARTICLEJournal of Black Psychology2016Cited by: 7References: 34

    Although the study of positive psychology has flourished in recent years, most research has focused on White samples. There is, however, a growing body of research examining cultural factors that may contribute to the psychological health and well-being of African Americans. The present study examined the associations between racial/ethnic identity, religious commitment, satisfaction with life, and meaning in a sample of African Americans ( N = 1…

  • A Qualitative Study of Biracial Identity Among Afro-Germans Living in Germany

    Rebecca R Hubbard, Shawn O UtseyARTICLEIdentity2015

    The increase of mixed race individuals in Europe is shifting the racial environment, making it increasingly important to understand the experiences of multiracial and biracial individuals in the European context. This study, utilizing a qualitative design, explored racial identity development of biracial Afro-Germans living in Germany. The purpose of the study was to understand the strategies that biracial individuals use to negotiate their racia…

  • Fear of Negative Evaluation as a Mediator of the Relation between Academic Stress, Anxiety and Depression in a Sample of Ghanaian College Students

    Open AccessCamilla W Nonterah, Nathasha C Hahn et al.ARTICLEPsychology and Developing Societies2015

    This study examined the mediator effects of the fear of negative evaluation (FNE) on the relation between academic stress and psychological symptoms in a sample of Ghanaian college students (N = 431). A multi-step structural equation modelling (SEM) procedure was used to test the specified mediator model and several fit indices were calculated to assess how well the model fit the data. In addition, path coefficients were calculated to determine w…

  • Negative internal causal attributions of a specific offense and forgiveness

    Open AccessJoshua N Hook, Marciana J Ramos et al.ARTICLEPersonal Relationships2015Cited by: 1References: 5

    Causal attributions are important social‐cognitive predictors of forgiveness. This article presents the Transgression Attribution Questionnaire ( TAQ ), a measure of one's negative internal causal attributions of a specific offense. In 4 studies, scores on the TAQ showed initial evidence of estimated internal consistency, temporal stability, and construct validity. Negative internal attributions for the cause of a transgression predicted lower le…

  • Heart Rate Variability as a Correlate of Trauma Symptom Expression, Psychological Well-Being, and Emotion Regulation in African Americans With Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

    Open AccessShawn O Utsey, Jasmine A Abrams et al.ARTICLEJournal of Black Psychology2015References: 22

    This study examined the relationship between heart rate variability, trauma symptom expression, and psychological distress in a sample ( N = 28) of African Americans with traumatic spinal cord injury. Participants’ heart rate (R-R interval) was recorded at baseline, during a mental arithmetic task, and then again at recovery. Heart rate variability was indexed as the root mean square of successive difference (rMSSD) of participants’ R-R interval.…

  • Predictor and Moderator Effects of Ego Resilience and Mindfulness on the Relationship Between Academic Stress and Psychological Well-Being in a Sample of Ghanaian College Students

    Open AccessNathasha N Cole, Camilla W Nonterah et al.ARTICLEJournal of Black Psychology2015Cited by: 3References: 30

    This study examined the predictor and moderator effects of ego resilience and mindfulness on the relationship between academic stress and psychological well-being in a sample of Ghanaian college students ( N = 431). The results indicated that academic stress was positively associated with both anxiety and depression and that mindfulness and ego resilience were both negatively associated with anxiety and depression. Mindfulness buffered the positi…

  • Assessing the Psychological Consequences of Internalized Colonialism on the Psychological Well-Being of Young Adults in Ghana

    Open AccessShawn O Utsey, Jasmine A Abrams et al.ARTICLEJournal of Black Psychology2015Cited by: 12References: 26

    This study examined the psychometric properties of a revised version of the Colonial Mentality Scale in a sample Ghanaian young adults (CMS-G; N = 431). In addition, the degree to which mental health and self- and group-concept was effected by internalized notions of colonial mentality was assessed. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to evaluate the underlying factor structure of the CMS-G. The findings indicated that the…

  • Cultural humility: Measuring openness to culturally diverse clients.

    Joshua N Hook, Don E Davis et al.ARTICLEJournal of Counseling Psychology2013

    Building on recent theory stressing multicultural orientation, as well as the development of virtues and dispositions associated with multicultural values, we introduce the construct of cultural humility, defined as having an interpersonal stance that is other-oriented rather than self-focused, characterized by respect and lack of superiority toward an individual's cultural background and experience. In 4 studies, we provide evidence for the esti…

  • Development and Validation of the Prolonged Activation and Anticipatory Race-Related Stress Scale

    Open AccessShawn O Utsey, Benita Belvet et al.ARTICLEJournal of Black Psychology2013Cited by: 30References: 50

    This article describes two separate studies that were conducted to develop and validate a measure of the prolonged stress activation and anticipatory race-related stress response in African American adults (Prolonged Activation and Anticipatory Race-Related Stress Scale [PARS]). In Study 1, an exploratory factor analytic procedure ( N = 292) resulted in a17-item measure with four underlying factors: (a) Perseverative Cognition, (b) Secondary Appr…

  • Cultural, sociofamilial, and psychological resources that inhibit psychological distress in African Americans exposed to stressful life events and race-related stress.

    Shawn O Utsey, Norman Giesbrecht et al.ARTICLEJournal of Counseling Psychology2008

    Empirical evidence suggests that African Americans (herein, all nonimmigrant persons of African heritage living in the United States) are at increased risk for exposure to stressful life events (e.g., Karlsen & Nazroo, 2002; McCord & Freeman, 1990; Thoits, 1991; Williams, Neighbors, & Jackson, 2003). Moreover, the health consequences associated with this increased risk are exacerbated by daily encounters with individual, institutional, and cultur…

  • Collectivism, Forgiveness, and Social Harmony

    Open AccessJoshua N Hook, Everett L Worthington et al.ARTICLEThe Counseling Psychologist2008Cited by: 19References: 57

    Existing models of forgiveness and the strategies to promote forgiveness that draw from them are predominantly individualistic. As the United States becomes more diverse and counseling psychology becomes a more global field, counseling psychologists are increasingly likely to encounter clients who have a collectivistic worldview. The authors propose a theoretical model that clarifies the relationship between collectivism and forgiveness. The impo…

  • Mediating and Moderating Effects of Racism-Related Stress on the Relation Between Poverty-Related Risk Factors and Subjective Well-Being in a Community Sample of African Americans

    Shawn O Utsey, Madonna G ConstantineARTICLEJournal of Loss and Trauma2008Cited by: 1References: 15

    This study examined the mediating and moderating effects of racism-related stress in the relation between poverty-related risk factors and subjective well-being in a community sample of 283 African American adults. Participants were administered an inventory of biological, social, and psychological risk factors, the Index of Race-Related Stress–Brief Version, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life–Brief. Findings indicated that racism-…

  • A Re-Examination of Cultural Factors that Mitigate Risk and Promote Resilience in Relation to African American Suicide: A Review of the Literature and Recommendations for Future Research

    Shawn O Utsey, Joshua N Hook et al.ARTICLEDeath Studies2007

    Suicide among African Americans has been acknowledged by the U.S. Surgeon General as a growing crisis. However, suicide remains understudied in this population. In this article, the authors examine the literature related to cultural protective factors that buffer African Americans from suicide risk. They present an overview of suicide among African Americans, review the culture and world-view of African Americans, and examine the degree to which …

  • Heart rate variability as a physiological moderator of the relationship between race-related stress and psychological distress in African Americans

    Shawn O Utsey, Joshua N HookARTICLECultural Diversity & Ethnic…2007Cited by: 16References: 5

    This study examined the moderator effects of heart rate variability, a physiological marker of stress vulnerability, on the relationship between race-related stress and psychological distress in African Americans (N = 215). Participants were administered the Index of Race-Related Stress-Brief and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18. Resting heart rate was recorded using the Polar 810s heart rate monitor. Findings indicated that heart rate variability …