Measuring Stress Among Diverse Adolescents

描述（由申请人提供）：本R21探索性研究的目的是探讨性取向（女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋）和种族/民族少数群体青少年的少数群体压力交集，并开发和验证性取向少数群体青少年压力工具（SMASI）。通过允许更精确地评估这一高风险人群的少数民族压力经历（社会过程）与负面心理和行为健康结果之间的关系，为这一人群制定有效的少数民族压力测量方法将对公共卫生产生重大影响。根据美国国立卫生研究院对少数民族青少年的类似研究中使用的有效方法，拟议的研究将导致开发一种有效的少数民族压力测量方法，可用于告知临床评估和开发有效的目标行为健康干预措施。这些目标将通过两个具体目标来实现，包括：a)通过与专家小组进行改进的德尔菲过程，创建一个初步的性少数群体青少年压力清单（SMASI）；b)在种族和民族多元化的性少数青少年的横断面研究中，完善工具并评估其信度和初步标准效度（N=410）。本研究将采用混合方法、多阶段设计来开发SMASI。在第一年，将与跨学科主题专家小组一起使用改进的德尔菲过程制定初步的SMASI，然后进行青年认知访谈（n=20），以确保草案措施的可理解性。第二阶段将在研究的第二年进行，届时将使用受访者驱动的抽样方法招募种族和民族多样化的SMA (n=410)，以完成草案措施。第二阶段的分析将侧重于建立信度和初步标准效度，以及最终SMASI的产生。在R21完成后，将进行一项为期多年的研究，以检验少数民族压力经历与心理和行为结果之间的纵向关系，研究对象是一大批不同种族和民族的青年。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of this proposed R21 exploratory research is to explore the intersection of minority stress for adolescents who identify as sexual (lesbian, gay, bisexual) and racial/ethnic minority and to develop and validate a sexual minority adolescent stress instrument (SMASI). The production of a valid measure of minority stress for this population will have a significant public health impact by allowing for more precise assessment of the relationship between minority stress experiences (social processes) and negative mental and behavioral health outcomes in this higher risk population. Adapted from effective methods used in similar NIH research with ethnic minority adolescents, the proposed research will result in the development of a valid measure of minority stress that can be used to inform clinical assessment and the development of effective targeted behavioral health interventions. The objectives will be met through two specific aims, including: a) Create a preliminary Sexual Minority Adolescent Stress Inventory (SMASI) through a modified Delphi process with an expert panel; and b) Refine the instrument and assess its reliability and preliminary criterion validity in a cross- sectional study of racially and ethnically diverse sexua minority adolescents (N=410). This study will apply a mixed method, multi-phase design to the development of the SMASI. During the first year, a preliminary SMASI will be developed using a modified Delphi process with an interdisciplinary subject matter expert panel, followed by youth cognitive interviews (n=20) to ensure comprehensibility of the draft measure. Phase II will occur in the second year of the study, when a racially and ethnically diverse range of SMA (n=410) will be recruited using respondent driven sampling to complete the draft measure. Analysis of phase II will focus on establishing reliability and preliminary criterion validity, and the production ofa final SMASI. Upon completion of this R21, a multi-year study will be conducted to examine the longitudinal relationship between minority stress experiences and mental and behavioral outcomes in a large sample of racially and ethnically diverse youth.