Mental & Behavioral Health Think Tank
Vision: To create a world where the mental and behavioral health of emerging adults is prioritized, destigmatized, and supported with comprehensive and practical solutions, enabling every emerging adult to thrive and reach their full potential."
Mission: The Mental and Behavioral Health Think Tank is committed to researching, developing, and advocating for evidence-based strategies that effectively improve emerging adults' mental and behavioral well-being. Through collaboration with experts, communities, and policymakers, we aim to reduce barriers to access, enhance support systems, and foster a culture of understanding and compassion, ensuring that mental and behavioral health becomes an integral part of the journey towards adulthood.
Goal: Our primary goal is to significantly enhance the mental and behavioral health outcomes of emerging adults. By conducting groundbreaking research, promoting awareness, and driving policy changes, we seek to remove the stigma surrounding mental and behavioral health, increase access to affordable and effective treatments, and provide practical tools and resources that empower emerging adults to navigate the challenges they face. Through our collective efforts, we envision a future where mental and behavioral health is proactively addressed,fostering a generation of resilient and flourishing emerging adults.
SUMMARY: Community violence exposure (CVE) and its health impact is a public health crisis. Violent crime has steadily increased over recent years and has disproportionately affected Black communities. Emerging adulthood (18–29 years old) is a vulnerable period of development and Black emerging adults may be at increased risk for negative physical and mental health consequences from CVE. This integrative review was conducted to evaluate available evidence on health outcomes in Black emerging adults exposed to CVE.
CITATION: Walker, D. T., Bills, K. L., & Motley, R. O. (2023). Physical and Mental Health Outcomes of Black Emerging Adults with Community Violence Exposure: An Integrative Review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380231194055
SUMMARY: Anxiety, depression, and psychological distress are public health concerns for Black emerging adults ages 18–29, given their prevalence in this population. However, we have scant empirical research investigating the prevalence and correlates of negative mental outcomes among Black emerging adults with a history of exposure to police use of force. Thus, the current study examined the prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and psychological well-being and how they vary among a sample of Black emerging adults with a history of direct or indirect exposure to police use of force.
CITATION: Robert O Motley, Jr., Yu-Chih Chen, Jamie D Motley, Prevalence and Correlates of Adverse Mental Health Outcomes among Male and Female Black Emerging Adults with a History of Exposure (Direct versus Indirect) to Police Use of Force, Social Work Research, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svad005
SUMMARY: Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent disorders for Black emerging adults ages 18 to 29 in America. Moreover, some Black emerging adults with a history of exposure to police use of force may experience police contact anxiety (PCA) symptoms during (e.g., unable to relax) or in anticipation of future police contacts (e.g., urge to avoid police), which may develop into an anxiety disorder. To explore this phenomenon, the current study assessed the prevalence and correlates of PCA symptoms for Black emerging adults.
CITATION: Motley, R., Chen, Y.C., Finner, A., Masood, Y., & Joe, S. (2023). Prevalence and Correlates of Police Contact Anxiety among Male and Female Black Emerging Adults in St. Louis, Missouri. Social Work Research, 47(1), 50-61. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/svac032
SUMMARY: A significant treatment gap exists for incarcerated men with lifetime traumatic experiences. A small research base for trauma interventions for incarcerated women is emerging, but incarcerated men have largely been ignored. Men comprise 90% of the incarcerated population and are at the greatest risk to be rearrested for a new crime after release. One of the most overlooked, but highly influential, factors in poor postrelease outcomes of formerly incarcerated men is unaddressed symptoms resulting from lifetime traumatic experiences. Studies of incarcerated men report up to 98% have had at least one lifetime traumatic experience—many have experienced multiple traumas. With nearly 600,000 men releasing from incarceration each year, there is an urgent need to develop targeted interventions for incarcerated men. We aim to advance the field toward gender-specific and incarceration-responsive trauma intervention approaches.
CITATION: Pettus-Davis., C., Renn, T., Lacasse, J. & Motley, R. (2019). Proposing a population-specific intervention approach to treat trauma among men before and after incarceration. Psychology of Men and Masculinity. https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000171
SUMMARY: Exposure to trauma, whether through witnessing or direct victimization, is often a daily reality for many Black males. Findings from this review suggest that 56-74% of Black males exposed to traumatic events may have an unmet need for mental health services. Future research examining the relationship between trauma and mental health service use for Black men and factors that moderate and/or mediate this relationship is warranted.
CITATION: Motley, R. & Banks, A. (2018). Black males, trauma, and mental health service Use: Asystematic review. Perspectives on Social Work, 14(1), 4-19. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc6292675/
SUMMARY: Black emerging adults ages 18–29, particularly those residing in predominantly black urban communities, are at risk for community violence exposure (CVE). This potentially traumatic event may induce traumatic stress reactions for black emerging adults that contribute to their engagement in violence perpetration, substance use and/or sexual risk-taking behaviors as a way to cope with their experiences. To address these identified concerns and make recommendations for future research, this article identifies and synthesizes results from studies that have examined CVE and its association with violence perpetration, substance use, and sexual risk-taking behaviors among black emerging adults.
CITATION: Motley, R., Sewell, W., & Chen, Y.C. (2017). Community violence exposure and risk-taking behaviors among black emerging adults: A systematic review. Journal of Community Health, 42(5), 1069-1078. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-017-0353-4