Veronica Thomas - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Veronica Thomas
Journal of Black Psychology, 2004
This article provides a critical analysis of a distinctive psychology of Black women, discusses t... more This article provides a critical analysis of a distinctive psychology of Black women, discusses the relevant epistemologies and conceptual framework that can inform such a perspective, and suggests a set of guiding principles for advancing theory and research on Black women within a historically and contextually relevant framework. A discussion of who is best suited to study the lives of Black women is also provided. The article concludes with a charge for a psychology of Black women that will examine previously ignored issues, formulate and test of new (and old) hypotheses, and develop alternative theoretical paradigms that are sensitive to the realities and contextualized lives of this population.
Review of Research in Education, 1987
Applied Measurement in Education, 2009
Given the changing landscape of educational accountability at the local, state, and national leve... more Given the changing landscape of educational accountability at the local, state, and national levels, and the changes in the uses of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), including the evolving uses of NAEP as a policy tool to interpret state ...
Sex Roles, 1988
Page 1. Sex Roles, Vol. 18, Nos. 9/10, 1988 Body Image, Dieting Tendencies, and Sex Role Traits i... more Page 1. Sex Roles, Vol. 18, Nos. 9/10, 1988 Body Image, Dieting Tendencies, and Sex Role Traits in Urban Black Women Veronica G. Thomas and Micheile D. James Institute for Urban Affairs and Research Howard University ...
American Journal of Evaluation
Recent public events have unnerved the country, touched the consciousness of the populace, and re... more Recent public events have unnerved the country, touched the consciousness of the populace, and reveal the resurgence of the White supremacist movement, causing many citizens to reflect on race relations. Given the profound impact of racism deeply embedded in the fabric of this country and its complex and destructive influence on the lives of people of color in social programs and in the contexts being evaluated, evaluators and the evaluation profession must not be complicit in the status quo by ignoring issues of race and racism in our work. This article sounds a clarion call for evaluators to use their power and privilege to advance a more equitable society by “calling out” racists’ practices, unmasking inequities, and articulating participants’ experiences within their racialized environments. We unpack how racism is a complex and destructive force in evaluation contexts. In this article, we hope to stimulate evaluative thinking and action by urging evaluators to gain a deeper und...
Journal of the National Medical Association, 2011
To examine the relationship among socioeconomic status, psychological factors (ie, health locus o... more To examine the relationship among socioeconomic status, psychological factors (ie, health locus of control, health satisfaction), and health behaviors (ie, physical exercise, eating patterns) in a volunteer sample of mid-life African American women residing within Washington, DC. The study's sample included 351 African American women who participated in the 12-week Prime Time Sister Circles (PTSC) intervention and completed the initial self-report survey. Of the women completing the baseline survey, clinical assessments were taken on 277 participants. The majority (64.4%) of the women were either obese or extremely obese based upon their body mass index (BMI). Fewer than one-third of the women were satisfied with their weight. Despite these outcomes, most (61.8%) of the sample rated their health, in comparison to other African American women, as either good or very good. Further, more than one-half of the women were somewhat to very satisfied with their health knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and their physical, emotional, and spiritual health. There was no significant relationship between obesity level and socioeconomic status, as measured by education, personal income, and total household income. Additionally, there were no significant differences in weight or eating behaviors by education, personal income, and total household income. The findings revealed a significant difference in the number of days the women reported engaging in physical exercise by personal income (p < .01) and total household income (p = .05), surprisingly, with the women in the lower-income categories reporting engaging in more days of physical exercise than women in the higher-income categories. This study documents the paradox of obesity in mid-life African American women related to socioeconomic status inasmuch as there were no differences observed in the prevalence of obesity by socioeconomic status indicators. The obese women of lower socioeconomic status reported exercising more than obese women of high socioeconomic status. Paradoxically, most of the obese women were dissatisfied with their body weight, shape, and physical health, but more than 50% were satisfied with their health attitudes and behaviors and 61.8% rated their health favorably. The paradoxes of obesity and African American women across various income levels are important to understand for interventions to success.
The Journal of Negro Education, Oct 1, 2000
A serious problem in American schools is that they typically seek strategies for helping students... more A serious problem in American schools is that they typically seek strategies for helping students after they have encountered difficulty or have experienced failure instead of focusing on reducing failure before it emerges. The most popular remedies for dealing ...
Journal of the National Medical Association, Apr 1, 2007
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 00224545 1989 9711705, Jun 30, 2010
Abstract The relationship of body-image satisfaction to body weight, self-esteem, and perceptions... more Abstract The relationship of body-image satisfaction to body weight, self-esteem, and perceptions of significant others was explored among 102 Black adult women. A sizeable proportion of the women reported some degree of body-image dissatisfaction. Body ...
The Journal of Negro Education, Jul 1, 2001
The Journal of Negro Education, Jul 1, 2007
... education of African American girls and women were Anna Julia Haywood Cooper and Lucy ... All... more ... education of African American girls and women were Anna Julia Haywood Cooper and Lucy ... All three of these women, who became successful and were well-known for their ... academic excellence for African American students at a level comparable to White students (consistent ...
The Journal of Negro Education, Jul 1, 2007
Journal of the National Medical Association
Over the past several decades, we have witnessed substantial improvements in the health status of... more Over the past several decades, we have witnessed substantial improvements in the health status of Americans. There has been an unprecedented explosion in scientific knowledge and the phenomenal capacity of medicine to diagnose, treat, and cure various diseases. For example, extraordinary progress has been made in understanding the causes and risk factors for heart disease and cancer. Because of advances in the long-term management of chronic diseases, conditions such as hypertension and diabetes need no longer result in disability and premature death. Additionally, individuals are becoming more health conscious and are increasingly engaging in activities to safeguard their health (such as lowering dietary sodium and fat intake, reducing or discontinuing cigarette smoking, and engaging in a regular exercise regimen). Unfortunately, African Americans have not benefitted equitably from the scientific and technological advances of the medical profession or various national prevention and educational efforts. INCIDENCE OF HEALTH DISPARITIES Disparities in the health status of African-American and white populations are evident across the entire life span. Compared with whites, African Americans suffer an excess mortality in 13 of the 15 leading causes of death. The exceptions are chronic obstructive lung disease and suicide. In 1987, infant mortality was highest among African Americans with rates of 17.9 per 1000 live births (compared with 8.6 per 1000 live births for whites). The age-adjusted mortality rates for heart
Kappa Delta Pi Record, 2000
Journal of the National Medical Association, 2011
To examine the relationship among socioeconomic status, psychological factors (ie, health locus o... more To examine the relationship among socioeconomic status, psychological factors (ie, health locus of control, health satisfaction), and health behaviors (ie, physical exercise, eating patterns) in a volunteer sample of mid-life African American women residing within Washington, DC. The study's sample included 351 African American women who participated in the 12-week Prime Time Sister Circles (PTSC) intervention and completed the initial self-report survey. Of the women completing the baseline survey, clinical assessments were taken on 277 participants. The majority (64.4%) of the women were either obese or extremely obese based upon their body mass index (BMI). Fewer than one-third of the women were satisfied with their weight. Despite these outcomes, most (61.8%) of the sample rated their health, in comparison to other African American women, as either good or very good. Further, more than one-half of the women were somewhat to very satisfied with their health knowledge, attitud...
Journal of the National Medical Association, 2007
To evaluate the effectiveness of Prime Time Sister Circles (PTSC), a curriculum-based, culture- a... more To evaluate the effectiveness of Prime Time Sister Circles (PTSC), a curriculum-based, culture- and gender-specific health intervention, in assisting mid-life African-American women to decrease the major risk factors of physical inactivity, poor nutrition and stress. One-hundred-thirty-four African-American women were involved in 11 sites across the country in PTSC and comparison groups. PTSC uses a cognitive behavioral modality based on three theoretical approaches to reduce risk factors and promote positive health changes. Pretest and posttest (10 weeks, and six and 12 months) data were collected on various indicators. t test analyses demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the women's involvement in physical activity at 10 weeks, and six and 12 months. A significant 10-week difference was found in the women's diet, with them reporting eating more nutritious foods, t(77) = 3.32, p < 0.001. The women also indicated from pretest to 10 weeks, and six and 12 mo...
Adolescence, 1987
Work values and key influencers of a sample of black male and female adolescents were examined. R... more Work values and key influencers of a sample of black male and female adolescents were examined. Results indicated that boys and girls valued both the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards of work; however, girls reported slighter stronger extrinsic values than did boys. In addition, the sexes reported differences in the importance of specific work values such as "making lots of money," and "doing important things." When naming a key influencer, respondents tended to cite a same-sex and race individual. Sex of one's key influencer was related to certain work values, with subjects reporting a male key influencer valuing "trying out one's own ideas" and "having a secure future" more than those reporting a female key influencer. The interaction of sex of subject and sex of key influencer was significant on one of the work value outcomes. Implications of these findings are considered.
ABSTRACT Peer supervision is a method which enables the counselors to be involved in a continuous... more ABSTRACT Peer supervision is a method which enables the counselors to be involved in a continuous learning process throughout their professional career and not only when they are in training. It is a personal way of learning in which a pair or a small group of colleagues gives supervision to one another. In this article some advantages, potential pitfalls and conditions or "guidelines" that should be followed to ensure the most effective peer supervision experience are discussed. An effective evaluation can greatly improve the process of peer supervision and can successfully minimise potential obstacles and pitfalls. Hence, in the second part of the article we describe the internal evaluation of the peer supervision process and illustrate it with some results of final evaluations from four peer supervision processes.
Journal of Black Psychology, 2004
This article provides a critical analysis of a distinctive psychology of Black women, discusses t... more This article provides a critical analysis of a distinctive psychology of Black women, discusses the relevant epistemologies and conceptual framework that can inform such a perspective, and suggests a set of guiding principles for advancing theory and research on Black women within a historically and contextually relevant framework. A discussion of who is best suited to study the lives of Black women is also provided. The article concludes with a charge for a psychology of Black women that will examine previously ignored issues, formulate and test of new (and old) hypotheses, and develop alternative theoretical paradigms that are sensitive to the realities and contextualized lives of this population.
Review of Research in Education, 1987
Applied Measurement in Education, 2009
Given the changing landscape of educational accountability at the local, state, and national leve... more Given the changing landscape of educational accountability at the local, state, and national levels, and the changes in the uses of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), including the evolving uses of NAEP as a policy tool to interpret state ...
Sex Roles, 1988
Page 1. Sex Roles, Vol. 18, Nos. 9/10, 1988 Body Image, Dieting Tendencies, and Sex Role Traits i... more Page 1. Sex Roles, Vol. 18, Nos. 9/10, 1988 Body Image, Dieting Tendencies, and Sex Role Traits in Urban Black Women Veronica G. Thomas and Micheile D. James Institute for Urban Affairs and Research Howard University ...
American Journal of Evaluation
Recent public events have unnerved the country, touched the consciousness of the populace, and re... more Recent public events have unnerved the country, touched the consciousness of the populace, and reveal the resurgence of the White supremacist movement, causing many citizens to reflect on race relations. Given the profound impact of racism deeply embedded in the fabric of this country and its complex and destructive influence on the lives of people of color in social programs and in the contexts being evaluated, evaluators and the evaluation profession must not be complicit in the status quo by ignoring issues of race and racism in our work. This article sounds a clarion call for evaluators to use their power and privilege to advance a more equitable society by “calling out” racists’ practices, unmasking inequities, and articulating participants’ experiences within their racialized environments. We unpack how racism is a complex and destructive force in evaluation contexts. In this article, we hope to stimulate evaluative thinking and action by urging evaluators to gain a deeper und...
Journal of the National Medical Association, 2011
To examine the relationship among socioeconomic status, psychological factors (ie, health locus o... more To examine the relationship among socioeconomic status, psychological factors (ie, health locus of control, health satisfaction), and health behaviors (ie, physical exercise, eating patterns) in a volunteer sample of mid-life African American women residing within Washington, DC. The study&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s sample included 351 African American women who participated in the 12-week Prime Time Sister Circles (PTSC) intervention and completed the initial self-report survey. Of the women completing the baseline survey, clinical assessments were taken on 277 participants. The majority (64.4%) of the women were either obese or extremely obese based upon their body mass index (BMI). Fewer than one-third of the women were satisfied with their weight. Despite these outcomes, most (61.8%) of the sample rated their health, in comparison to other African American women, as either good or very good. Further, more than one-half of the women were somewhat to very satisfied with their health knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and their physical, emotional, and spiritual health. There was no significant relationship between obesity level and socioeconomic status, as measured by education, personal income, and total household income. Additionally, there were no significant differences in weight or eating behaviors by education, personal income, and total household income. The findings revealed a significant difference in the number of days the women reported engaging in physical exercise by personal income (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; .01) and total household income (p = .05), surprisingly, with the women in the lower-income categories reporting engaging in more days of physical exercise than women in the higher-income categories. This study documents the paradox of obesity in mid-life African American women related to socioeconomic status inasmuch as there were no differences observed in the prevalence of obesity by socioeconomic status indicators. The obese women of lower socioeconomic status reported exercising more than obese women of high socioeconomic status. Paradoxically, most of the obese women were dissatisfied with their body weight, shape, and physical health, but more than 50% were satisfied with their health attitudes and behaviors and 61.8% rated their health favorably. The paradoxes of obesity and African American women across various income levels are important to understand for interventions to success.
The Journal of Negro Education, Oct 1, 2000
A serious problem in American schools is that they typically seek strategies for helping students... more A serious problem in American schools is that they typically seek strategies for helping students after they have encountered difficulty or have experienced failure instead of focusing on reducing failure before it emerges. The most popular remedies for dealing ...
Journal of the National Medical Association, Apr 1, 2007
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 00224545 1989 9711705, Jun 30, 2010
Abstract The relationship of body-image satisfaction to body weight, self-esteem, and perceptions... more Abstract The relationship of body-image satisfaction to body weight, self-esteem, and perceptions of significant others was explored among 102 Black adult women. A sizeable proportion of the women reported some degree of body-image dissatisfaction. Body ...
The Journal of Negro Education, Jul 1, 2001
The Journal of Negro Education, Jul 1, 2007
... education of African American girls and women were Anna Julia Haywood Cooper and Lucy ... All... more ... education of African American girls and women were Anna Julia Haywood Cooper and Lucy ... All three of these women, who became successful and were well-known for their ... academic excellence for African American students at a level comparable to White students (consistent ...
The Journal of Negro Education, Jul 1, 2007
Journal of the National Medical Association
Over the past several decades, we have witnessed substantial improvements in the health status of... more Over the past several decades, we have witnessed substantial improvements in the health status of Americans. There has been an unprecedented explosion in scientific knowledge and the phenomenal capacity of medicine to diagnose, treat, and cure various diseases. For example, extraordinary progress has been made in understanding the causes and risk factors for heart disease and cancer. Because of advances in the long-term management of chronic diseases, conditions such as hypertension and diabetes need no longer result in disability and premature death. Additionally, individuals are becoming more health conscious and are increasingly engaging in activities to safeguard their health (such as lowering dietary sodium and fat intake, reducing or discontinuing cigarette smoking, and engaging in a regular exercise regimen). Unfortunately, African Americans have not benefitted equitably from the scientific and technological advances of the medical profession or various national prevention and educational efforts. INCIDENCE OF HEALTH DISPARITIES Disparities in the health status of African-American and white populations are evident across the entire life span. Compared with whites, African Americans suffer an excess mortality in 13 of the 15 leading causes of death. The exceptions are chronic obstructive lung disease and suicide. In 1987, infant mortality was highest among African Americans with rates of 17.9 per 1000 live births (compared with 8.6 per 1000 live births for whites). The age-adjusted mortality rates for heart
Kappa Delta Pi Record, 2000
Journal of the National Medical Association, 2011
To examine the relationship among socioeconomic status, psychological factors (ie, health locus o... more To examine the relationship among socioeconomic status, psychological factors (ie, health locus of control, health satisfaction), and health behaviors (ie, physical exercise, eating patterns) in a volunteer sample of mid-life African American women residing within Washington, DC. The study's sample included 351 African American women who participated in the 12-week Prime Time Sister Circles (PTSC) intervention and completed the initial self-report survey. Of the women completing the baseline survey, clinical assessments were taken on 277 participants. The majority (64.4%) of the women were either obese or extremely obese based upon their body mass index (BMI). Fewer than one-third of the women were satisfied with their weight. Despite these outcomes, most (61.8%) of the sample rated their health, in comparison to other African American women, as either good or very good. Further, more than one-half of the women were somewhat to very satisfied with their health knowledge, attitud...
Journal of the National Medical Association, 2007
To evaluate the effectiveness of Prime Time Sister Circles (PTSC), a curriculum-based, culture- a... more To evaluate the effectiveness of Prime Time Sister Circles (PTSC), a curriculum-based, culture- and gender-specific health intervention, in assisting mid-life African-American women to decrease the major risk factors of physical inactivity, poor nutrition and stress. One-hundred-thirty-four African-American women were involved in 11 sites across the country in PTSC and comparison groups. PTSC uses a cognitive behavioral modality based on three theoretical approaches to reduce risk factors and promote positive health changes. Pretest and posttest (10 weeks, and six and 12 months) data were collected on various indicators. t test analyses demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the women's involvement in physical activity at 10 weeks, and six and 12 months. A significant 10-week difference was found in the women's diet, with them reporting eating more nutritious foods, t(77) = 3.32, p < 0.001. The women also indicated from pretest to 10 weeks, and six and 12 mo...
Adolescence, 1987
Work values and key influencers of a sample of black male and female adolescents were examined. R... more Work values and key influencers of a sample of black male and female adolescents were examined. Results indicated that boys and girls valued both the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards of work; however, girls reported slighter stronger extrinsic values than did boys. In addition, the sexes reported differences in the importance of specific work values such as "making lots of money," and "doing important things." When naming a key influencer, respondents tended to cite a same-sex and race individual. Sex of one's key influencer was related to certain work values, with subjects reporting a male key influencer valuing "trying out one's own ideas" and "having a secure future" more than those reporting a female key influencer. The interaction of sex of subject and sex of key influencer was significant on one of the work value outcomes. Implications of these findings are considered.
ABSTRACT Peer supervision is a method which enables the counselors to be involved in a continuous... more ABSTRACT Peer supervision is a method which enables the counselors to be involved in a continuous learning process throughout their professional career and not only when they are in training. It is a personal way of learning in which a pair or a small group of colleagues gives supervision to one another. In this article some advantages, potential pitfalls and conditions or "guidelines" that should be followed to ensure the most effective peer supervision experience are discussed. An effective evaluation can greatly improve the process of peer supervision and can successfully minimise potential obstacles and pitfalls. Hence, in the second part of the article we describe the internal evaluation of the peer supervision process and illustrate it with some results of final evaluations from four peer supervision processes.