Keisha Leanne Bentley-Edwards

Keisha Leanne Bentley-Edwards
Associate Professor in Medicine

I am a developmental psychologist who uses a cultural lens to understand social, emotional and academic outcomes. My work specifically examines how race, culture and racism stress influence how the world responds to Black Americans and how this influences health and social disparities. I develop culturally cognizant measures, specifically in the areas of racial/ethnic socialization, racial cohesion and dissonance and same-race violence. As an interdisciplinary researcher, I examine the racial and societal contexts that influence health, coping and well-being in schools, communities and within families. I am also the Associate Director of Research and the Director of the Health Equity Working Group for the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity.

Areas of research include:

Racial/Cultural Determinants of Health & Educational Outcomes
African American Psychology
Race, Religion & Health
Using Cultural Strengths to Promote Resilience
Racism, Sexism & Discrimination
Unarmed Shootings of Black People/Police Brutality
Navigating Race and Racial Tensions
Racial Socialization
Culturally Relevant Assessment
Race & Ethnicity in Schools & Communities
Effects of At-Risk Neighborhoods on Youth
Bullying
Black Racial Cohesion & Dissonance
Black Women's Psychology & Mental Health
(Pre)school to Prison Pipeline-Disparate Disciplinary Practices
Exposure to Violence
Health Equity
Black Families
Racial Identity
Black Children, Adolescents & College Students

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Associate Professor in Medicine, Medicine, General Internal Medicine, Medicine 2021
Member of the Duke Cancer Institute, Duke Cancer Institute, Institutes and Centers 2017
Affiliate, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke Global Health Institute, University Institutes and Centers 2019
Affiliate of the Center for Child and Family Policy, Center for Child and Family Policy, Sanford School of Public Policy 2023

Contact Information

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania 2009
- M.A., Columbia University 2000
Leadership & Clinical Positions at Duke
- Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity
  - Associate Director of Research
  - Director of the Health Equity Working Group
  Clinical and Translational Science Award
  - Co-Director, Integrating Special Populations Core
  - Co-Director, Equity in Research
Recognition
In the News
- MAY 13, 2021 Samuel Dubois Cook Center on Social Equity
  
  Eat, Pray, Live: New Research Examines the Faith-Health Connection for African-Americans
- SEP 23, 2020 Duke Research Blog
  
  We're Not All Living the COVID Moment Equally
- MAR 28, 2018
  
  New Report: Why The Black-White Infant Mortality Gap Exists and How To Eradicate It
- SEP 29, 2017
  
  Cook Center on Social EquityReceives $2.7 Million Grant For Race, Religion and Health Project
Expertise
Subject Headings
Research
Selected Grants
- The Role of Wealth in the Social Determinants of Health Disparities awarded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 2021 - 2023
- Religion, Spirituality and CVD Risks: A Focus on African Americans awarded by National Institutes of Health 2017 - 2023
- Duke RDS2 (Respondent-Driven Sampling, Respiratory Disease Surveillance) the SNOWBALL Sampling Study awarded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2020 - 2022
- Protective for Whom: Centering Black Infant and Maternal Health in Understanding Social Determinants awarded by International Business Machines 2021 - 2022
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Thomas, J., Eckstrom, E., Lam, W. K. K., Sullivan, S., Bentley-Edwards, K., Gierisch, J. M., & Bowling, C. B. (2023). Recommendations for using the 5Ts Framework to support research inclusion across the lifespan. J Am Geriatr Soc. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.18359
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  - Chen, E., Hollowell, A., Truong, T., Bentley-Edwards, K., Myers, E., Erkanli, A., … Swartz, J. J. (2023). Contraceptive Access and Use Among Undergraduate and Graduate Students During COVID-19: Online Survey Study. Jmir Form Res, 7, e38491. https://doi.org/10.2196/38491
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  - Robbins, P. A., Bentley-Edwards, K. L., Blackman Carr, L. T., Conde, E., Van Vliet, R., & Darity, W. A. (2022). Shades of Black: Gendered Denominational Variation in Depression Symptoms Among Black Christians. Psycholog Relig Spiritual, 14(4), 425–435. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000398
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  - Scott, M. J., Robbins, P. A., Conde, E., & Bentley-Edwards, K. L. (2022). Depression in the African American Christian Community: Examining Denominational and Gender Differences. J Relig Health, 61(4), 2838–2854. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-022-01528-2
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  - Carr, L. T. B., Bell, C., Alick, C., & Bentley-Edwards, K. L. (2022). Responding to Health Disparities in Behavioral Weight Loss Interventions and COVID-19 in Black Adults: Recommendations for Health Equity. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities, 9(3), 739–747. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-022-01269-8
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  - Hollowell, A., Swartz, J., Myers, E., Erkanli, A., Hu, C., Shin, A., & Bentley-Edwards, K. (2022). Telemedicine services in higher education: a review of college and university websites. J Am Coll Health, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2022.2047703
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  - Bentley-Edwards, K. L., Jordan Fleming, P., Doherty, I. A., Whicker, D. R., Mervin-Blake, S., & Barrett, N. J. (2022). The 5Ws of Racial Equity in Research: A Framework for Applying a Racial Equity Lens Throughout the Research Process. Health Equity, 6(1), 917–921. https://doi.org/10.1089/heq.2022.0042
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  - Robbins, P. A., Scott, M. J., Conde, E., Daniel, Y., Darity, W. A., & Bentley-Edwards, K. L. (2021). Denominational and Gender Differences in Hypertension Among African American Christian Young Adults. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities, 8(5), 1332–1343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-020-00895-4
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  - Robbins, P. A., Scott, M. J., Conde, E., Daniel, Y., Darity, W. A., & Bentley-Edwards, K. L. (2021). Correction to: Denominational and Gender Differences in Hypertension Among African American Christian Young Adults. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities, 8(5), 1344. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-020-00919-z
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  - Bentley-Edwards, K. L., Robbins, P. A., Blackman Carr, L. T., Smith, I. Z., Conde, E., & Darity, W. A. (2021). Denominational Differences in Obesity Among Black Christian Adults: Why Gender and Life Stage Matter. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 60(3), 498–515. https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.12722
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  - Coleman-King, C., Adams-Bass, V., Bentley-Edwards, K., Thomas, D., Thompson, C., Michael, A., … Stevenson, H. (2021). Got skillz? Recasting and negotiating racial tension in teacher–student relationships amidst shifting demographics. Social Sciences, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci10030099
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  - Bentley-Edwards, K. L., Blackman Carr, L. T., Robbins, P. A., Conde, E., Zaw, K., & Darity, W. A. (2020). Investigating Denominational and Church Attendance Differences in Obesity and Diabetes in Black Christian Men and Women. J Relig Health, 59(6), 3055–3070. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-019-00888-6
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  - Bentley-Edwards, K. L., Stevenson, H. C., Thomas, D., Adams-Bass, V. N., & Coleman-King, C. (2020). Teaching Scared: Pre-Service Teacher Appraisals of Racial Stress, Socialization and Classroom Management Self-Efficacy. Soc Psychol Educ, 23(5), 1233–1257. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-020-09578-8
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  - Bentley-Edwards, K. L., Smith, L. V., Robbins, P. A., & Adams-Bass, V. N. (2019). Out of the Hood, But Not Out of the Woods: The School Engagement and Cohesion of Black Students Based on Exposure to Violence and Victimization. Urban Review, 51(4), 540–558. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-019-00517-2
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  - Scardamalia, K., Bentley-Edwards, K. L., & Grasty, K. (2019). Consistently inconsistent: An examination of the variability in the identification of emotional disturbance. Psychology in the Schools, 56(4), 569–581. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22213
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  - Bentley-Edwards, K. L., Edwards, M. C., Spence, C. N., Darity, W. A., Hamilton, D., & Perez, J. (2018). How does it feel to be a problem? The missing Kerner commission report. Rsf, 4(6), 20–40. https://doi.org/10.7758/rsf.2018.4.6.02
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  - Sanchez, D., Bentley-Edwards, K. L., Matthews, J. S., & Granillo, T. (2016). Exploring Divergent Patterns in Racial Identity Profiles Between Caribbean Black American and African American Adolescents: The Links to Perceived Discrimination and Psychological Concerns. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 44(4), 285–304. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmcd.12054
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  - Bentley-Edwards, K. L., Agonafer, E., Edmondson, R., & Flannigan, A. (2016). If i can do for my people, i can do for myself: Examining racial factors for their influence on goal efficacy for black college students. Journal of College Student Development, 57(2), 151–167. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2016.0018
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  - Bentley-Edwards, K. L. (2016). Hope, Agency, or Disconnect: Scale Construction for Measures of Black Racial Cohesion and Dissonance. Journal of Black Psychology, 42(1), 73–99. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095798414557670
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  - Bentley-Edwards, K. L., & Stevenson, H. C. (2016). The Multidimensionality of Racial/Ethnic Socialization: Scale Construction for the Cultural and Racial Experiences of Socialization (CARES). Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25(1), 96–108. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-015-0214-7
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  - Bartoli, E., Michael, A., Bentley-Edwards, K. L., Stevenson, H. C., Shor, R. E., & McClain, S. E. (2016). Training for colour-blindness: white racial socialisation. Whiteness and Education, 1(2), 125–136. https://doi.org/10.1080/23793406.2016.1260634
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  - Bartoli, E., Bentley-Edwards, K. L., García, A. M., Michael, A., & Ervin, A. (2015). What Do White Counselors and Psychotherapists Need to Know About Race? White Racial Socialization in Counseling and Psychotherapy Training Programs. Women and Therapy, 38(3–4), 246–262. https://doi.org/10.1080/02703149.2015.1059206
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  - Bentley-Edwards, K. L., & Chapman-Hilliard, C. (2015). Doing race in different places: Black racial cohesion on black and white college campuses. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 8(1), 43–60. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038293
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  - Adams-Bass, V. N., Bentley-Edwards, K. L., & Stevenson, H. C. (2014). That’s Not Me I See on TV . . . : African American Youth Interpret Media Images of Black Females. Women, Gender, and Families of Color, 2(1), 79–100. https://doi.org/10.5406/womgenfamcol.2.1.0079
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  - Thomas, D. E., Coard, S. I., Stevenson, H. C., Bentley, K., & Zamel, P. (2009). Racial and emotional factors predicting teachers' perceptions of classroom behavioral maladjustment for urban African American male youth. Psychology in the Schools, 46(2), 184–196. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.20362
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- Book Sections
  - Bentley-Edwards, K. L. (2023). The African American Health Burden: Disproportionate and Unresolved. In The Black Reparations Project: A Handbook for Racial Justice (pp. 95–108).
  - Bentley-Edwards, K., & Adams-Bass, V. (2017). The Whole Picture: Examining Black Women Through the Life Span. In Afrikan American Women Living at the Crossroads of Race, Gender, Class, and Culture (pp. 189–201). Cognella Academic Publishing.
  - Bentley-Edwards, K., Robbins, P., & Smith, L. (2017). Black Boys & Their Racial Identity: Learning how they fit into society and in your classroom. In The Guide for White Women Who Teach Black Boys (pp. 169–169). Corwin.
  - Michael, A., Coleman-King, C., Lee, S., Ramirez, C., & Bentley-Edwards, K. (2017). Naming the Unnamed: White Culture in Relief. In S. Hancock & C. Warren (Eds.), White Women’s Work Examining the Intersectionality of Teaching, Identity, and Race (pp. 19–43). Information Age Publishing.
  - Bentley-Edwards, K., Thomas, D., & Stevenson, H. (2012). Raising Consciousness: Promoting Healthy Coping Among African American Boys at School. In Handbook of Culturally Responsive School Mental Health Advancing Research, Training, Practice, and Policy (pp. 121–133). Springer Science & Business Media.
  - Bentley, K., Adams, V., & Stevenson, H. (2008). Racial socialization: Roots, processes, and outcomes. In H. Neville, B. Tynes, & S. Utsey (Trans.), Handbook of African American Psychology (pp. 255–267). SAGE Publications.
    Link to Item
- Conference Papers
  - Griffith, E. E., Bentley-Edwards, K., & Scott, M. J. (2022). Religion and spirituality moderates the relationship between hypertension and dementia risk among Black people. In American Journal of Human Biology (Vol. 34).
    Link to Item
- Datasets
  - Reinhart, A., & Bentley-Edwards, K. (2014). Multiple identities under stereotype threat: A regulatory fit interpretation. https://doi.org/10.1037/e551572014-001
    Data Access
  - Bentley, K. L. (2010). Community investment questionnaire: A culturally relevant measure of social cohesion. https://doi.org/10.1037/e642972010-001
    Data Access
  - Bentley, K. L., Moultrie, E., & Hayling, C. C. (2008). What They Said: Empowering and Diminishing Reactions to Racial Socialization. https://doi.org/10.1037/e495932008-001
    Data Access
  - Stevenson, H. C., & Bentley, K. L. (2007). Family Cares: Development and Analysis of the Cultural and Racial Experiences of Socialization for African American Families. https://doi.org/10.1037/e690712007-001
    Data Access
  - Stevenson, H., & Bentley, K. (2007). Caring About Race: Black Families' Perspectives on Racial Socialization. https://doi.org/10.1037/e628612012-294
    Data Access
- Preprints
  - Chen, E., Hollowell, A., Truong, T., Bentley-Edwards, K., Myers, E., Erkanli, A., … Swartz, J. J. (2022). Contraceptive Access and Use Among Undergraduate and Graduate Students During COVID-19: Online Survey Study (Preprint). JMIR Publications Inc. https://doi.org/10.2196/preprints.38491
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Teaching & Mentoring
Recent Courses
- AAAS 102: Introduction to African American Studies 2021
- LIT 102: Introduction to African American Studies 2021
Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
Outreach & Engaged Scholarship
- Bass Connections Team Leader. Sex and Contraception Among College and Graduate Students During COVID-19. 2020 - 2021 2020 - 2021
- Story+ Project Leader. Story+. 2019 2019

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Leadership & Clinical Positions at Duke

In the News

Subject Headings

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Book Sections

Conference Papers

Datasets

Preprints

Recent Courses

Outreach & Engaged Scholarship