Publications
Our peer-reviewed publications are organized by most relevant outcome. The SASH Lab at Yale focuses on three major areas: 1) substance use and mental health; 2) strengths-based approaches; and 3) sexual health. We also have published policy reports, lab reports, and policy briefs which you can find here too. Please feel free to download our work, share with your friends and colleagues! Don’t forget to cite
Substance Use and Mental health outcomes
Strengths based approaches and outcomes
Sexual Health
Reports
Policy Briefs
Substance Use and Mental health outcomes
It all starts with the parents”: A qualitative study on the protective factors for drug use prevention among Black and Hispanic girls
Opara, I., Lardier, Jr. D.T., Reid, R.J., & Garcia-Reid, P. (2019)
Age of first marijuana use and its impact on education attainment and employment status
Beverly, H.K., Castro, Y., & Opara, I. (2019)
Validation of the abbreviated socio-political control scale for youth among girls of color
Opara, I., Rivera Rodas, E.I., Lardier, Jr. D.T., Garcia-Reid, P., & Reid, R.J. (2020)
The role of empowerment- based protective factors on substance use among youth of color
Lardier Jr., D.T., Opara, I., Reid, R.J., & Garcia-Reid, P. (2020)
“Bullets have no names”: A qualitative exploration of community trauma among Black and Latinx Youth
Opara, I., Lardier Jr., D.T., Metzger, I., Herrera, A., Franklin, L., Garcia-Reid, P., & Reid, R.J. (2020).
Suicide among Black children: An integrated model of the interpersonal- psychological theory of suicide and intersectionality theory for researchers & clinicians
Opara, I., Assan, M.A., Pierre, K., Gunn, J III., Metzger, I., Hamilton J., & Arugu, E. (2020)
Symptoms of distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
Okafor, E., Asare, M., Bautista, K., & Opara, I. (2021)
Coping in the time of COVID-19: Buffering stressors with coping strategies
Okafor, E., Bautista, K., Asare, M., & Opara, I. (2021)
Mental Health Burden among Black Adolescents: The Need for Better Assessment, Diagnosis and Treatment Engagement
Opara, I., Weissinger, G., Lardier, D.T., Jr., Lanier, Y., Carter, S., & Brawner, B. (2021).
Intrapersonal Psychological Empowerment Profiles on Ethnic Identity, Social Support, and Lifetime Drug Use among Hispanic Adolescent Girls
Opara, I., Lardier Jr. D.T., Fernandez, Y., Garcia-Reid, P., & Reid, R.J. (2020).
A Spatial Analysis of Alcohol Outlet Density, Abandoned Properties and Police Call to Service on Non-Fatal Shootings and Aggravated Assaults in a Northeastern United States Urban City
Lardier, D.T., Opara, I., Lin, Y., Roach, E., Herrera, A., Garcia-Reid, P., Reid, R.J. (2021)
Understanding Neighborhoods’ Impact on Youth Substance Use and Mental Health Outcomes in Paterson, New Jersey: Protocol for a Community-Based Participatory Research Study
Opara, I., Leonard, N., Thorpe, D., & Kershaw, T. (2021)
Alcohol Use Cravings as a Mediator Between Associated Risk Factors on Increased Alcohol Use among Youth Adults in New York During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Opara, I., Malik, S., Lardier Jr. D.T., Gamble-George, J., Kelly, R., Okafor, E., Greene, N.R., & Parisi, D. (2021)
Effects of Brief Interventions on Internalizing Symptoms and Substance Use in Youth
McDanal, R, Parisi, D., Opara, I., & Schleider, J. (2021)
Structural indicators of suicide: An exploration of state-level risk factors among Black and White people in the United States, 2015-2019. Journal of Public Mental Health
Robertson, R., Corbin, S., Gunn, J. III., & Opara, I. (2022)
Strong Black Women: Stress, overeating, and health disparities among a sample of Black Female College Students. Journal of Black Studies
Godbolt, D., Opara, I., & Amutah-Onukagha, N. [In Press].
Strengths based approaches and outcomes
A study of neighborhood sense of community as a mediator between supportive social systems, school belongingness, and outcome behaviors among urban youth of color
Lardier Jr., D.T., Opara, I., Berguson, C., Herrera, A., Garcia-Reid, P., & Reid, R.J. (2019)
A conceptual framework exploring social media, eating disorders, and body dissatisfaction among Latina adolescents
Opara, I. & Santos, N. (2019)
Nativity and Cardiovascular Dysregulation: Evidence from the 2001-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Doamekpor, L.A., Gleason, J.L., Opara, I., & Amutah-Onukagha N. (2020)
Parenting profiles of academic and racial socialization: Associations with academic engagement and perception of academic ability of African American adolescents
Metzger, I., Cooper, S., Griffin, C. B., Golden, A., Opara, I., & Ritchwood, T. (2020)
Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis of the cognitive empowerment scale among African American/Black and Hispanic/Latinx urban youth
Lardier Jr., D.T., Opara, I., Garcia-Reid, P. & Reid, R.J. (2020)
The mediating role of ethnic identity and social justice orientation between community civic participation, psychological sense of community and cognitive and psychological empowerment among adolescents of color
Lardier Jr., D.T., Opara, I., Garcia-Reid, P., & Reid, R.J. (2020)
Measuring Intrapersonal Empowerment and Ethnic Identity: Highlighting Strengths of Urban Black Girls
Opara, I., Lardier Jr., D.T., Garcia-Reid, P., & Reid, R.J. (2020)
Psychological sense of community, community civic participation, and ethnic identity on social justice orientation and psychological empowerment between LGBQ and Non-LGBQ youth of color. LGBT Youth
Lardier Jr., D.T., Opara, I., Brammer, M.K., Pinto, S.A., Garcia-Reid, P., & Reid, R.J. (2021)
The Brief Sense of Community Scale: Testing Dimensionality and Measurement Invariance by Gender among Hispanic/Latinx Youth. Journal of Community Psychology
Lardier Jr. D. T., Opara, I., Cantu, I., Garcia-Reid, P., & Reid, R.J. (2021)
A Latent Class Analysis of Psychological Sense of Community and Ethnic Identity among Young Adults of Color from the Southwestern United States
Lardier, D.T., Opara, I., & Roach, E. (2021)
#BlackGirlsMatter and the Social Work Curriculum: Integrating Intersectionality within Social Work Education
Opara, I. & Brown, T. (2021)
Countering Educational Disparities Among Black Boys and Young Men from Pre-K to High School: A Life Course Intersectional Perspective
Wint, K., Opara, I., Gordon, R., & Brooms, D. (2021)
Testing the Factor Structure of the Brief Sense of Community Scale among Black Girls and the Relationship with Ethnic Identity, Empowerment and Social Support
Opara, I., Lardier Jr., D.T., Garcia-Reid, P., & Reid, R.J. (2021)
Sexual Health
Socioemotional factor: A missing gap in theorizing and studying Black heterosexual coupling processes and relationships
Awosan, C. I., & Opara, I. (2016).
Progresses and challenges in utilizing traditional birth attendants in maternal and child health in Nigeria
Amutah-Onukagha. N., Rodriguez. M., Opara, I., Gardner, M., Assan, M., Hammond, R., Plata, J., Pierre, K., & Farran, E. (2017)
The effects of school-based discrimination on adolescents of color sexual health outcomes: A social determinants approach
Respress, B., Amutah-Onukagha, N., & Opara, I. (2018).
Examining African American parent-daughter HIV risk communication using a Black feminist-ecological lens: Implications for Intervention
Opara, I. (2018)
Understanding the influence of sexual risk-taking, ethnic identity, and family and peer support on school importance among Hispanic adolescents
Garcia-Reid, P., Lardier, Jr. D.T, Reid, R.J., & Opara, I. (2018)
Project THANKS: Examining HIV-related barriers and facilitators to care in African American women: A community perspective
Amutah-Onukagha, N., Mahadevan, M., Opara, I., Rodriguez, M., Kelly, J., & Trusdell, M. (2018)
Missed opportunities for HIV prevention: Results of a qualitative study on mother-daughter communication
Amutah-Onukagha, N., Opara, I., Hammonds, R., & Guthrie, B. (2018)
Sexual negotiation skills and risky behavior on sexual partnerships, HIV knowledge, and risk perception among urban youth of color: A latent class analysis
Lardier Jr., D.T., Opara, I., Herrera, A., Garcia-Reid, P., & Reid, R.J. (2019).
Increasing viral hepatitis knowledge among urban ethnic minority youth: Findings from a community-based prevention intervention
Opara, I., Lardier Jr., D.T., Herrera, A., Garcia-Reid, P., & Reid, R.J. (2019)
Commentary on Project THANKS: An HIV/AIDS education intervention
Amutah-Onukagha, N., Mahadevan, M., Opara, I., Rodriguez, M., Kelly, J., & Trusdell, M. (2020)
When Pandemics Call: Community-Based Research Considerations for HIV Scholars. AIDS and Behavior
Opara, I., Chandler, C., Alcena-Stiner, D, Nnawulezi, N., & Kershaw, T. (2020)
Ethnic Identity, Empowerment, Social Support, and Sexual Risk Behaviors among Black Adolescent Girls: Examining Drug Use as a Mediator
Opara, I., Rivera Rodas, E., Garcia-Reid, P. & Reid, R.J. (2020)
Increasing HIV/AIDS knowledge among urban ethnic minority youth: Findings from a community-based prevention intervention program
Lardier Jr., D.T., Opara, I., Reid, R.J., Garcia-Reid, P., Herrera, A., & Cantu, I. (2021)
Intersectional Effects of Internalized Homophobia, Gender Expression, and Sexual Orientation Concealment on Health Literacy and HIV Risk Among Sexual Minority Men of Color: A Path Analysis
Ramos, S.R., Lardier, D.T., Jr., Opara, I., Williams, C., Turpin, R.E., Boyd, D.T., Gutierrez, J., Nelson, L.E., & Kershaw, T. (2021)
Associations between Parent–Child Communication on Sexual Health and Drug Use and Use of Drugs during Sex among Urban Black Youth
Boyd, D., Opara, I., Quinn, C.R., Waller, B., Ramos, R.S., & Duncan, D.T. (2021).
Ethnic Identity as a Moderator between HIV Knowledge on Viral Hepatitis Knowledge and Psychological Antecedents among Racial-Ethnic Minority Youth
Opara, I., Lardier, D.T., Durkee, M., Garcia-Reid, P., & Reid, R.J. (2021)
How Black Teen Girls Navigate Social Media to Form Romantic Relationships
Weser, V., Opara, I., Sands, B., & Hieftje, K. (2021).
Sociopolitical Control as a Mediator between Ethnic Identity and Social Support on 30-Day Drug Use among Black Girls
Opara, I., Hill, A., Calhoun, A., Francois, M., Alves, C., Garcia-Reid, P., & Reid, R.J. (2021)
Reframing Sexual Health for Black Girls and Women in HIV/STI Prevention Work: Highlighting the Role of Identity and Interpersonal Relationships
Opara, I., Abrams, J., Cross, K., & Amutah-Onukagha, N. (2021)
Feeling Invisible & Unheard: A Qualitative Exploration of Gendered-Racist Stereotypes Influence on Sexual Decision Making and Mistreatment of Black Teen Girls
Feeling Invisible & Unheard: A Qualitative Exploration of Gendered-Racist Stereotypes Influence on Sexual Decision Making and Mistreatment of Black Teen Girls
Role of the Intersections of Gender, Race, Sexual Orientation in the Association Between Substance Use Behaviors and Sexually Transmitted Infections in a National Sample of Adults with Recent Criminal Legal Involvement
Harvey, T., Opara, I., & Wang, E. (2022)
A systematic review on sexual health and drug use prevention interventions for Black Girls
Opara, I., Pierre, K., Assan, A, Scheinfeld, L., *Alves, C., *Cross, K., *Lizarraga, A., & Brawner, B. (2022)
Reports
ADDRESSING ABSENTEEISM AND EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES IN PATERSON, NJ AND SURROUNDING CITIES IN PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ
Policy Briefs