To assess the levels of perceived acute and chronic racial and non-racial discrimination in South Africa, their association with health, and the extent to which they contribute to racial differences in physical and mental health, data were used from a national probability sample of adults, the South African Stress and Health Study (SASH). All Black groups in South Africa (African, Coloured and Indian) were two to four times more likely than Whites to report acute and chronic experiences of racial discrimination. Africans and Coloureds report higher levels of ill health than Whites, but acute and chronic racial discrimination were unrelated to ill health and unimportant in accounting for racial differences in self-rated health. In contrast, all Black groups had higher levels of psychological distress than Whites, and perceived chronic discrimination was positively associated with distress. Moreover, these experiences accounted for some of the residual racial differences in distress after adjustment for socioeconomic status. Our main findings indicate that, in a historically racialized society, perceived chronic racial and especially non-racial discrimination acts independently of demographic factors, other stressors, psychological factors (social desirability, self-esteem and personal mastery), and multiple SES indicators to adversely affect mental health.

This paper examined six patterns of violent relationships (severe and mild victimization, perpetration, and mutual violence) and their associations with psychosocial outcomes in men and women (N = 3, 519) using data from the National Comorbidity Survey. Violence patterns most frequently reported included mild and severe violence performed by both relationship partners. Some gender differences in frequency of patterns emerged. Main results showed gender differences and some similarities in associations between violence patterns and negative psychosocial outcomes. Women's victimization, regardless of severity, was more strongly related to psychosocial outcomes than men's. Yet, additional findings revealed gender similarities, with both men and women affected by mutual violence. Post hoc analyses further suggested that some individuals were satisfied and had relatively low distress, despite violence.

The G␣ q pathway is essential for animal life and is a central pathway for driving locomotion, egg laying, and growth in Caenorhabditis elegans, where it exerts its effects through EGL-8 (phospholipase C␤ [PLC␤]) and at least one other effector. To find the missing effector, we performed forward genetic screens to suppress the slow growth and hyperactive behaviors of mutants with an overactive G␣ q pathway. Four suppressor mutations disrupted the Rho-specific guanine-nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) domain of UNC-73 (Trio). The mutations produce defects in neuronal function, but not neuronal development, that cause sluggish locomotion similar to animals lacking EGL-8 (PLC␤). Strains containing null mutations in both EGL-8 (PLC␤) and UNC-73 (Trio RhoGEF) have strong synthetic phenotypes that phenocopy the arrested growth and near-complete paralysis of G␣ q -null mutants. Using cell-based and biochemical assays, we show that activated C. elegans G␣ q synergizes with Trio RhoGEF to activate RhoA. Activated G␣ q and Trio RhoGEF appear to be part of a signaling complex, because they coimmunoprecipitate when expressed together in cells. Our results show that Trio's Rho-specific GEF domain is a major G␣ q effector that, together with PLC␤, mediates the G␣ q signaling that drives the locomotion, egg laying, and growth of the animal.[Keywords: G␣ q ; Trio; Rho; phospholipase C␤; C. elegans] Supplemental material is available at http://www.genesdev.org.

Using nationally representative data from South Africa, we examine lifetime prevalence of traumas and multiple traumas (number of events). Employing multiple regression analysis, we study sociodemographic risk of trauma, and the association between trauma and distress. Results indicate most South Africans experience at least one traumatic event during their lives, with the majority reporting multiple. Consistent variation in risk is evident for gender and marital status but not other sociodemographics. Trauma is positively related to high distress, and findings also support a cumulative effect of trauma exposure. Individuals with the most traumas (6+) appear at five-times greater risk of high distress. This study highlights the importance of considering traumatic events in the context of other traumas in South Africa.

College of the Holy CrossObjective: To identify scalable interventions for improving sexual minority mental health and health-risk behavior, this study tested the efficacy of two self-guided online writing interventions-expressive writing and self-affirmation. To reach sexual minority young adults living in high-stigma, low-resource settings, we developed and tested these interventions in Appalachian Tennessee. Method: In consultation with sexual minority young adults (n ϭ 10) and stakeholders (n ϭ 10) living in Appalachian Tennessee, we adapted these two writing interventions that we then delivered to 108 local sexual minority young adults (M age ϭ 23.68, SD ϭ 3.11). Participants, representing diverse sexual and gender identities and socioeconomic backgrounds, were randomly assigned to participate in a 3-session expressive writing intervention, self-affirmation intervention, or neutral control. Participants completed mental health and health-risk behavior measures at baseline, postintervention, and 3-month follow-up. Results: Compared to the neutral control, expressive writing exerted 3-month improvements in depressive symptoms (d ϭ 0.48) and general psychological distress (d ϭ 0.36) whereas self-affirmation exerted improvement in suicidal ideation (d ϭ 0.62) and drug abuse (d ϭ 0.59). Participants who were exposed to greater contextual minority stressors common in rural regions (i.e., discrimination and victimization) experienced significantly greater 3-month reductions in depression from expressive writing and self-affirmation compared to control. Those who experienced greater discrimination also experienced significantly greater 3-month reductions in suicidality from self-affirmation compared to control. Conclusion: Brief writing interventions exert significant impact on the mental health of young adult sexual minorities, especially those exposed to minority stress. Future research can consider strategies for population-level implementation, especially in high-stigma, low-resource settings. What is the public health significance of this article?This study responds to the pressing need for efficacious interventions to improve sexual minority young adult mental and behavioral health. We find evidence that two brief online writing interven-