Mental Health of African American Adolescents (AAAs): A Theoretical Review
African-American adolescents (AAA’s) are more likely to suffer from untreated mental health conditions than their counterparts in the general population (Lindsey, Barksdale, Lambert, & Ialongo, 2010). Besides the aspects of urban neighborhoods that can influence mental health in AAA’s, such as community violence and poverty, recent criminal justice issues such as the Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis shootings raise the question of the psychological impact of racial bias and interracial violence on the mental health of AAA’s (Lindsey et al., 2010; Mays, Johnson, Coles, Gellene, & Cochran, 2013; Thompson et al., 2013). Although utilization of mental health services by AAA’s and their families have been explored, the factors that determine the mental health service use of AAA’s are poorly understood (Thompson et al., 2013).
Purposes/Aims:
Therefore, the purpose of this theoretical and literature review is to create a theoretical model of the factors shaping mental health of AAA’s and the subsequent effects on mental health services utilization. This poster will address the following objectives:
- To describe the existing literature on the state of mental health in AAA’s
- To describe the impact of racially based acts of violence on the mental health of AAA’s
- To describe the theoretical frameworks that may explain the mental health service use of AAA’s
- To identify the role media plays in disseminating racial stereotypes, biases and it's role in mental health.
- To propose a framework linking the mental health need and mental health utilization among AAA’s
Methods:
The psychological science framework will be used to shape the review of the literature. The tools offered by psychological science can reveal the embedded nature of the pervasive negative cultural/racial bias and stereotypes (Dhont, Roets & Van Hiel, 2011; Flaskerund, 2011; Paluck & Green, 2009) that destroy the lives of AAA’s. These models will be used to shape the review of the literature that will inform this analysis the psychological role of bias and racism.
Results:
Contributing factors to the unique mental statuses of diverse young African Americans may include discrimination, poverty, or lack of a role model.The literature indicates the size and quality of social networks are a potential mediator of services use. Racism and media influences influence how those social networks are formed and maintained. Racism, as presented through media contributes to an internalized poor self-image, which may be especially harmful during the adolsecent transition.
Implications:
While avoiding potentially harmful and limiting biases, nurses must be aware of such behavioral and physical signs for such emotional distress. Nurses must also realize that this diverse population calls for the creation of multifaceted therapeutic approaches. These may include not just emotional counseling but economic, judicial, and social guidance.