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Are mindful people better at regulating their emotions?

Emotions such as fear, sadness, anger, and so on often need to be "regulated" for us to behave in healthy, adaptive ways. How can people better regulate their emotions when stressed? read more...

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Can we help children with ADHD succeed in school?

Adolescents with ADHD often experience significant problems in school, such as failing grades and low achievement test scores. Can we predict these problems before they occur? read more...

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Why do African American youth trade cigarettes for cigars?

Many youth perceive cigars to pose fewer health risks than cigarettes. But, is this true? read more...

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Are cultural issues important in rehabilitation medicine?

Many health problems and disabilities disproportionately affect ethnic minority communities. But what can rehabilitation specialists do to change that? read more...

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Is religious counseling effective?

Many religious people say they want religious counseling. But is it effective? And, if it is not available, is secular counseling less effective for religious people than religious counseling? read more...

utsey

Dr. Shawn Utsey

Professor of Psychology and Chair of African American Studies

Counseling Psychology

 

PhD (1997), Fordham University

Contact Information

Phone: 804-828-1144

Office: 800 W Franklin, rm 105

E-mail: soutsey@vcu.edu

Research Interests

My research interests are primarily in two areas, both of which are related to the psychology of the African-American experience. First is my interest in understanding how race-related stress impacts the physical, psychological and social well-being of African-Americans. More recently, however, I have sought to examine how trauma is manifested in the victims of racial violence. Other areas of interest include examining the influence of African-American culture (e.g., collective social orientation, spiritual centeredness, verve, etc.) on indicators of health and well-being. I have published numerous journal articles, book chapters and papers, and presented at professional conferences. I recently was recognized at the 2004 conference of the American Psychological Association, Division 45 and APAGS, for my work in the area of ethnic minority psychology and for my dedication and commitment as a mentor to students of African descent.

Selected Publications

Utsey, S.O., & Constantine, M.G. (in press) Racism-Related Stress as a Mediator and/or Moderator of the Relation between Poverty-Related Risk Factors and Subjective well-Being in a Community Sample of African Americans.  Stress, Trauma, & Crisis: An  International Journal.

Utsey, S.O., Bolden, M.A., Williams, O., III., Lee, A., & Lanier, Y. (in press). Spiritual well-being as a mediator of the relation between culture-specific coping and quality of life in a community sample of African Americans. Journal of Cross Cultural Psychology.

Utsey, S.O., & Constantine, M. G. (in press). A confirmatory test of the underlying factor structure ofscores on the Collective Self-Esteem Scale in two independent samples of Black Americans. Journal of Personality Assessment.

Utsey, S.O., Lee, A., Bolden, M.A., & Lanier, Y. (in press). A confirmatory test of the factor validity scores on the Spiritual Well-Being Scale in a community sample of African Americans. Journal of Psychology and Theology.

Utsey, S.O., Williams III, O., Lanier, Y., Bolden, M. A., Lee, A., & Newsome, C. (in press). Moderator Effects of Cognitive ability and social support on the relation between racism-related stress and quality of life in a community sample of African Americans. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology.

Recent Courses Taught at VCU