Steinhardt Professor Seeks to Shed Light on Depression Among Urban Poor

By Timothy Farrell

Clinical studies of depression often take their data from sample populations that are easily accessed by researchers, such as undergraduate students and therapy patients. High-risk groups that do not have access to medical care, such as women who live below the poverty line, are often ignored.

      Alisha Ali, associate professor of applied psychology at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, is seeking to expand the literature on depression by examining the impact that positive life change may have on depression among vulnerable populations.

      “Most of the scientific literature focuses on the neuro-chemical factors of depression while ignoring the role of community,” says Ali. “What is the connection between one’s community and an individual’s psyche?”

      In a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, Ali and five graduate students are studying a sample of 25 women participating in Project Enterprise, a community-based organization in Harlem that serves HIV-positive women of color who live below the poverty line. Based on the micro-credit lending model, the organization arranges its clients into peer groups who apply for micro-oans to start up small businesses. Project Enterprise offers the women business training, and each peer group shares accountability for its members, so if one member does not pay back the loan, the other members must pitch in. Many have launched successful businesses, and their loan payback rate has been extremely high.       

      Through surveys and interviews, Ali and her team explore what makes the program successful and its effect on the women’s wellbeing. As she analyzed the data, several themes emerged. A majority of the women credited the program with providing a strong level of interpersonal support, through the peer groups, as well as providing opportunities for community engagement. In addition, many of the women spoke of their experience in spiritual terms, finding faith in a larger purpose and finding meaning through their work with others.

      “Among the women who stay with the program, we’ve found that their levels of depression have gone down,” says Ali, who adds that the peer support has been essential. “The women become more economically independent, yet they become more involved in each other’s lives.”