Shawn Bediako - US grants

This is a proposal for support of a conference. It is a request for a small amount of funds to support the 16th Annual Black Graduate Conference in Psychology (BGCP). Since 1995, the BGCP has contributed to the scholarly and career development of over 650 participants by: (1) improving the research capabilities of graduate students by providing them with a supportive atmosphere in which to present their research and receive constructive feedback; (2) providing graduate students with an opportunity to exchange strategies and experiences that will help them to thrive in graduate school and beyond; and (3)providing a forum for graduate students in psychology to network and develop collaborative relationships with future colleagues. The activities proposed are designed to provide a sustained approach to the training of African American graduate students in psychology. As one of the few venues for examining the psychological experiences of African Americans, the conference serves as an important incubator for new ideas in the field. These new ideas not only benefit the study of African Americans, but also enhance the field of psychology as a whole. Additional broader impacts of the conference include its important role in: (1) retaining African American students in psychology graduate programs, and (2) developing psychologists at top-tier research institutions.

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is in response to RFA-HL-10-021, Innovators in Hemoglobinopathies Academic Career Development Award. Persons living with sickle cell disease are often susceptible to social stigmas that heighten their risk for negative clinical outcomes, including pain, health care use, depressive symptoms, and quality of life. However, very little is known about the impact of stigma on clinical outcomes in this population - an issue that was further complicated in prior research by the absence of valid and reliable instruments that assess disease-specific stigma. The proposed research extends the candidate's development of the Measure of Sickle Cell Stigma and explores the ways in which sickle-specific stigma impacts clinical outcomes by: (a) examining specific stigma profiles and their relation to clinical outcomes;(b) assessing temporal variability in sickle cell stigma;and (c) evaluating the influence of changes in stigma on clinical outcomes. In preparation to conduct the proposed studies, the candidate will have a period of mentored support to acquire additional expertise in longitudinal data analysis and clinical research. He has assembled a multidisciplinary team of mentors and advisors collective expertise in SCD pathophysiology, health psychology, statistics, clinical research design and administration, and health informatics. Study 1 will use a profile analysis with multidimensional scaling technique to identify latent profiles of stigma with a large sample (n=250) of adults with sickle cell disease in the Baltimore/Washington metropolitan area. Study 2 will assess daily variability in stigma and clinical outcomes among 48 adult sickle cell patients who will complete diaries over a twelve-week period using innovative technological platforms. Past research indicates that electronic diaries achieve high levels of patient compliance while assuring reliable and valid data entries. Our objectives of determining relations among perceived stigma, pain, health care utilization, depressive symptoms, and quality of life will be enhanced through the use of innovative wireless technology that permits secure, instantaneous data collection. Collectively, the proposed studies will highlight the relevance of perceived stigma for psychological adjustment and demonstrate its impact on clinical outcomes in sickle cell disease. The overall general impact of the proposed research is that it will broaden our scientific understanding of stigma and serve as a catalyst for developing interventions that improve clinical outcomes.