Tamara Buckley, PhD

The role of self-esteem and group identity in HIV risk behaviors among a sample of college-going women in New York City

 

[youtube]https://youtu.be/Wu7m8D8YyG0[/youtube]

Abstract

Black women report higher self-esteem than women from other racial groups, and self-esteem has been protective against HIV in some groups. However, Black women’s self-esteem has not translated into lower rates of HIV/AIDS. Self concept is comprised of both personal self-esteem and group identity, but these dimensions have rarely been examined together. This study presents a pilot cross-sectional study of 49 racially diverse female university students in New York City that examined associations among group identity (racial identity and gender identity), self-concept, HIV risk perception, sexual-risk behaviors, and self-reported outcomes.

 

About the Presenter

Tamara R. Buckley, PhD
Associate Professor, Hunter College
tamara.buckley@hunter.cuny.edu

Tamara Buckley earned a M.A. in organizational psychology and a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Columbia University, Teachers College. Before returning to graduate school, Dr. Buckley worked in investment banking and consulting, having earned a B.S. in business administration from U.C. Berkeley. She is a New York State Licensed Psychologist.

Dr. Buckley teaches both clinical and didactic courses in the graduate counseling program at Hunter College. As a professor, she focuses on helping students to integrate theoretical and self- knowledge with multicultural factors. Dr. Buckley revamped the multicultural training course in which students gain knowledge, skills, and awareness necessary for providing culturally competent treatment. She translated this work in the classroom into a theoretical model that will be featured in her upcoming book entitled, “Talking about Race: A New Pedagogical Model for Cultural Competence” that presents a theoretical model for how to create contexts that are psychologically safe for learning about and developing multicultural competence (To be published by the Russell Sage Foundation). This book is interdisciplinary and has relevance for increasing multicultural competence in health settings, community agencies and other organizational settings.

Dr. Buckley’s research program focuses on reducing health disparities both by building knowledge about the complexity of racial and gender identity development among persons of color and by introducing theoretical models for increasing individual and organizational- level multicultural competence. Dr. Buckley has received numerous awards for her research including an in-residence Visiting Scholars Fellowship at the Russell Sage Foundation (2007-2008) and the Carolyn Payton Early Career Psychology Award, from APA, Division 35, Psychology of Black Women. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and the City University of New York: PSC-CUNY, Faculty Fellowship Publications Program, Junior Faculty Development Award, and George N. Shuster Faculty Fellowship. Her publications include peer-reviewed articles in counseling and health psychology and management, and various chapters in edited volumes.

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4 comments to Tamara Buckley, PhD

  • Beatrice Krauss

    I am looking forward to seeing the qualitative/quantitative article that results from this work.

  • Carol Roye

    This was a very interesting study, featuring a new lens through which to view HIV-risk. This is particularly important for Black women, as the prevalence of HIV in that population is so disproportionately high compared to the prevalence in other racial groups. I look forward to seeing the results of the qualitative study, and subsequent triangulation.

  • Interesting stuff! Left me wanting to hear more about the qualitative data. I also wonder about the assessment of self-esteem; wouldn’t mind learning a little more about the methodology that was used. The idea to explore group identity and use of HIV home test kits sounds very interesting. Hope to hear more about that in the future.

  • Susan Letteney

    Thank you for a very interesting presentation of your work! It was well organized and nicely done. Your topic is an important one, and the findings of your pilot study are promising. Best of luck on your future work in this area.

    Susan

    Susan Letteney, DSW, LCSW
    Professor of Social Work
    York College, CUNY
    the Collaborative Research Group on Health Policy and Promotion (CRG-HPP)