Migratory separation, when parents migrate and leave their children behind, was investigated in a case-control sample of 9- to 10-year-olds living in inner-city communities in Kingston and St Andrew, Jamaica (N = 54). Data analyses using descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations showed that children's reactions to their parents' migration were directly related to poor school performance and psychological difficulties. Additionally, being currently exposed to violence in the home and/or community was significantly associated with high scores on a measure of grief intensity. "Protective" factors included having someone to talk to about the migration and living in a supportive family. Migratory separation needs detailed investigation like that devoted to other childhood family disruptions, such as parental divorce or death.

A bidimensional acculturation framework cannot account for multiple destination cultures within contemporary settlement societies. We propose and test a tridimensional model among Jamaican adolescent-mother dyads in the United States compared with Jamaican Islander, European American, African American, and other Black and non-Black U.S. immigrant dyads (473 dyads, M adolescent age = 14 years). Jamaican immigrants evidence tridimensional acculturation, orienting toward Jamaican, African American, and European American cultures. Integration is favored (70%), particularly tricultural integration; moreover, Jamaican and other Black U.S. immigrants are more oriented toward African American than European American culture. Jamaican immigrant youth adapt at least as well as non-immigrant Jamaican and U.S. peers, although assimilated adolescents, particularly first generation, have worse sociocultural adaptation than integrated and separated adolescents.

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BackgroundThe growing international movement legislating medical marijuana has brought renewed interest to the role of marijuana smoking on fertility potential. Although studies have identified that sperm quality can be compromised by marijuana use, little focus has been placed specifically on those trying to conceive. In this study, we aimed to clarify the impact of marijuana use in semen quality in men being investigated for assisted reproduction.Materials and methodsWe conducted a cross‐sectional study at a university‐based facility in Jamaica. Routine semen analyses were performed on 229 men ages 23–72 years who were new clients. Logistic regression analyses were performed in order to independently predict quantifiable measures of the impact of marijuana use. The main outcome measures were sperm motility, total motile spermatozoa and morphology.ResultsOverall, 47% of the participants reported marijuana use with 21% of these men reporting recent use. Regression analyses showed that recent use and users of large quantities of marijuana were 2.6 times (aOR = 2.6; 95% CI, 1.0–6.8, p = 0.044) and 4.3 times (aOR = 4.3; 95% CI, 1.1–15.9, p = 0.030) at greater risk of being diagnosed with abnormal motility (asthenozoospermia). Additionally, moderate quantity users were 3.4 times (aOR = 3.4; 95% CI, 1.5–7.9, p = 0.004) more likely to be diagnosed with abnormal morphology (teratozoospermia).Discussion and conclusionRecent use of marijuana as well as moderate to large quantities had an impact on sperm motility and morphology in men being investigated for infertility. We recommend therefore that men undergoing fertility investigations be routinely asked about their recreational use of marijuana and in particular recent and heavy users counselled to stop.

In this study, 225 Jamaican university students were asked to recall their bullying experiences at elementary and high schools. Being verbally humiliated, robbed, and beaten were the top three frequently-occurring experiences. Acts of bullying by peers and educators were compared for their impact on students' psychological well being. Educator but not peer bullying was associated with specific outcomes including students becoming oppositional, losing trust in others, and being depressed. Outcomes also differed according to the gender of the student and perpetrator. Contextual reasons for school bullying are discussed in relation to levels of violence in a society along with suggestions for future research that can aid in informing school policies.