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Objective: Though sparse in previous years, research on the mental health of Black men has recently experienced a gradual increase in social work journals. This article systematically organizes and critically examines peer-reviewed, social work evidence on the mental health of Black men. Methods: Twenty-two peer-reviewed articles from social work journals were examined based on their contribution to social work research and practice on the mental health of Black men. Results: The social work evidence on Black men's mental health can be grouped into one of four categories: psychosocial factors; mental health care and the role of clinicians; fatherhood; and sexual orientation, HIV status, and sexual practices. Conclusions: This representation of the social work literature on Black men's mental health neglects critical areas germane to social work research and practice with this population. Implications include ways to extend current social work research and practice to improve the health for Black men.

African American men bear disproportionately high burden from cancer in the U.S. The American Cancer Society reports that for all cancer sites combined, African American men are 32% more likely to die than white men (American Cancer Society, 2011). Having family history of cancer elevates an individual's risk for the disease and should inform decision-making around the use of specific cancer screening tests as well as earlier onset and frequency of cancer screening. Adult African American men who attended an annual hospital-based community health fair in the Midwest which targeted minority men, were approached to complete paper-based survey. Participants were asked "have you ever talked with any of your relatives about your family history of cancer (about any members of your family who have been diagnosed with cancer)?" Predictors were evaluated using bivariate analysis and logistic regression; they included socio-demographic, health access, health behavior, health status, and communication variables. Participants were 558 African American men with mean age of 54 years old. African American men were most likely to have ever discussed their family history of cancer with relative if they had specific knowledge of their family history of cancer and if they had ever talked to physician about their family history of cancer. For African American men with familial predisposition to cancer, further examination of barriers and facilitators to discussion with relatives, specifically those related to health access and knowledge, is warranted.

This study examined associations between Black youth's engagement with hip-hop culture and their sociopolitical development (SPD) (e.g., critical social analysis, critical agency, and anti-racist activism). Participants included 499 Black adolescents recruited from across the United States through an online survey panel. Findings from regression analysis revealed the differential effects of rap media (music and music videos) and hip-hop media (e.g., blogs, video shows, radio) on youth's SPD. Black youth who consumed more hip-hop media and who interacted with artists on social media had more agency to address racism and reported engaging in more racial-justice activism. The frequency of youth's rap media usage was not consistently related to youth's SPD. However, youth's perceptions of rap (e.g., rap is empowering or misogynistic) were found to be directly associated with indicators of SPD. These findings provide insight into the potential influence of hip-hop culture beyond music on youth's racial-justice beliefs and actions.

This study examined changes in the demand and role of student mental health services as reported by administrators from college counseling and mental health centers (CCMHCs). Ten CCMHC administrators from US institutions engaged in semi-structured interviews. Four themes characterized the changes in demand and role of student mental health services: 1) an increase in the severity of mental health concerns and demand for services; 2) overall psychosocial differences in today's college student population; 3) changes in the roles of counseling centers; and 4) institutional challenges and the response to those challenges. Administrators' responses provided an enriched understanding of the current mental health needs of college students, the potential psychosocial and societal causes of these needs, and the importance of dynamic and flexible responses by counseling centers and institutions more broadly as the mental health profile of students continues to evolve.

AbstractRecent reports have highlighted disparities in representation of Black men within research, calling for more work to be done with this group. The authors take up this call by exploring whether adherence to masculine norms influences mental health outcomes among young Black men. The sample included survey responses from 18- to 30-year-old Black men (N = 273) enrolled at five colleges and universities in the midwestern United States. Two theoretically relevant subscales from the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory (that is, self-reliance and emotional control) were used to measure adherence to masculine norms, and depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis results indicate that the model fit the data well. Furthermore, self-reliance was associated with higher rates of depressive symptoms (β = .358, p < .001), but emotional control was not (β = .137, p = .099). Study findings suggest that depression treatment interventions should be tailored to incorporate aspects of masculinity that are most salient to young Black men. In addition, social work researchers, clinicians, and service providers are uniquely positioned to contribute to the promotion of mental wellness among this underserved population and should be prepared to attend to young Black men's mental health needs.

This introduction to the special issue will ground our understanding of the current state of Black boys and men in America, nearly 2 years after the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Each of these articles represents the voices of scholars whose influences add clarity to the experiences and aftermath of traumatic events that threaten the safety and well-being of Black boys and men. Collectively, these articles showcase various research methods; address individual, family, and community issues; and demonstrate how race, gender, and class influence how the assorted levels of society interact with Black males. This special issue is an important contribution to raising awareness of and enacting social change for Black boys and men in our nation.

Family stressors help identify behavioral outcomes in children. Yet, there may be subsequent factors associated with child behavior problems. An expansion of the current literature on child behavior problems will allow for further interpretation of these subsequent factors. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of psychological distress and work and family strcssors on child behavior problems for parents (N=85 l) from the 1995 Detroit Area Study. Findings suggest that respondents who were younger, experienced psychological distress, lived in large households, felt bothered as a parent, and had difficulty balancing work and family were more likely to experience child behavior problems than their peers. Implications for this study underscore the application of an intcrscctional approach when working with children and families so that various aspects of parental and child well-being are addressed by researchers and service professionals.