# Discrimination, Social Cognitive Processes, and CVD Risk among African American Women

> **NIH NIH SC2** · CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH · 2022 · $147,500

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 Cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality disparities have persisted among African American
women despite advances in evidence-based strategies to reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors. African
American women often report discrimination-related stress, warranting continued exploration of the
mechanisms that link to discrimination to cardiovascular disease. Thus, the long-term research goal is to
reduce cardiovascular disease among African American women by elucidating and targeting unique
psychophysiological correlates of cardiovascular disease in this population. The overall objective of the pilot
project is to examine the overall feasibility of a research protocol to examine associations between
discrimination, social cognitive processes, and CVD risk using ecological momentary assessment [EMA] to
account for ecological variability and reduce recall bias. The central study hypothesis posits that African
American women’s long-term experiences of discrimination contribute to maladaptive schemas and cognitive
appraisal that heighten perceived discrimination events. Frequent experiences of discrimination elicit recurrent
emotional and physiological stress responses that over time contribute to sustained physiological
dysregulation. The study seeks to examine these associations in a sample of 90 African American women
aged 18 years and older by accomplishing the following aims: Aim 1. Examine cross-sectional associations
between discrimination (e.g., racial, gender), social cognitive processes (e.g., early maladaptive schemas,
cognitive appraisal), negative emotion, and sustained physiological dysregulation (allostatic load, telomere
length). Aim 2: Examine longitudinal associations (7-days) between discrimination, social cognitive processes,
and emotional and physiological reactivity using EMA. The overarching goal of this SC-2 application is to
promote the applicant’s long-term NIH research involvement by supporting: a) mentored minority faculty
research enhancement and b) training and research productivity in EMA and psychophysiological research
methodology. This innovative program of research, building on the applicants’ current training and research
expertise, will further elucidate discrimination-related cardiovascular disease risk factors and methodology that
accounts for ecological variability among African American women. Findings from this research program have
the potential better to inform cardiovascular disease risk prevention strategies among African American
women.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10480754
- **Project number:** 5SC2GM140981-02
- **Recipient organization:** CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH
- **Principal Investigator:** Amber Johnson
- **Activity code:** SC2 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $147,500
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-03 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10480754

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10480754, Discrimination, Social Cognitive Processes, and CVD Risk among African American Women (5SC2GM140981-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10480754. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*